Notes and Hearts
by Kinshara
Summary: It all begins with school-organized orchestra- and choir-week, two parties, one hostel. One operetta, good ideas and jealousy. And of course afterwards there's still upcoming christmas! A lot of fun, music and pirates! Marco x Oc l Ace x Oc l Others x Others (probably)
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

**Everything begins with a bus**

* * *

Ayane leaned her head onto her hand and sighed as she watched the trouble outside of the bus she currently sat in. Other pupils shove and pulled their bags around, trying to stuff them into the loading spaces. Ayane sighed once more and blew air against the cold window so she could draw.

"Why do they always need so much time?", she murmured as she made a heart with her finger against the glass.

They had said the bus would take off precisely at 9.45, so why was it that nearly twenty minutes had passed and still the at least fifty seats were not even half filled?!

Last year it had been the very same thing, she as the first in place, everything done, her instrument stored safely along with her in her seat. Not even her friend had shown up yet! And of course the headmaster had made the choir and orchestra participants visit the first two lessons senselessly.

English.

With the most terrible teacher on earth. While most of the guys were drooling all over Miss Bonney, the girls glared daggers at her make-up covered face and the pink hair. So Ayane had done nothing in English than muttering ugly words whenever Miss Bonney batted her lashes at a certain guy.

Her mood had to get better, now, the instant! She needed chocolate!

The blonde girl zipped her fluffy jacket open fished her backpack up that contained her food and several other things that made sure she would survive the trip.

She put it onto her lap and opened it, but just as she bit into her first, divine chocolate cracker, three guys climbed up the few stairs of the bus and made their way through just with the stuff that they needed.

"Hey Ayane, where's Shi-chan?"

Ayane smiled as the smallest one of the three, Ace, sat down on the empty seat next to her.

"I dunno, I haven't seen her since break. I think she met with her mum to pick up the stuff." Ace's grin faltered a bit, but he nodded and stood up to walk after his two friends. They had already began to occupy the seats two rows across from hers as the black-haired guy reached them.

Ayane watched amused as he began to complain loudly that he now had to sit alone and stuffed his bag into the rack annoyed. Her gaze wandered back to his friends, but as she found the handsome blond grinning back, she quickly looked back through her window, trying to suppress a blush.

Instead she took another cracker and began to nip at the chocolate coating. Marco was the absolutely greatest guy ever. Since September they often had classes together, but she never ever had had the guts to talk to him more than necessary.

Why should he even be interested, she was shy, her only friend was... well impolite to nearly everyone and even though Shin often told her how cute she would look, she felt everything but beautiful. How would a guy like him ever want to know her?

Slowly the crowd outside began to dissolve, the choir people strolled into their own buses, but not without hugging their friends who they wouldn't see for – oh no – nearly three hours.

After all they shared the same hostel for the next week. Why they even had to divide the pupils... nobody knew exactly. They weren't even sure if their teachers knew themselves.

Ayane looked up as another person let herself fall down onto the seat next to her. This time the right one.

"Hey Shin, where have you been?" Shinya grinned at her cheekily as she snatched the cracker out of her friends hands.

"Ayane! Long time not seen! I missed you in the last thirty minutes!" Ayane pouted as her cracker disappeared in Shinya's mouth, but her friend didn't seem to notice while she made herself comfortable.

"So Mr Shanks agreed, no problems?", she asked and Shin gave her thumps up.

"Like last year, just the two of us in a room and besides, I changed seats with Nami. She wanted to sit with Robin and so..."

Normally it wasn't allowed to mix up the choir people and the orchestra members, but Shin surely knew how to deal with their red-haired choir leader.

"That's great, Ace and Thatch are here, too." Ayane nudged her friend and pointed to the three guys.

"Ace?! ACE!", she shouted completely excited and waved like an idiot to her boyfriend. He looked up and waved back, but just as he had opened his mouth to call back, the conductor and supervisor of their bus entered and the driver finally closed the doors.

The whole bunch of pupils began to cheer as Mr Whitebeard took the microphone and sat down on the seats in the first row as the bus began to roll.

"So now, youngsters. I hope you didn't forget anything 'cause we're definitely not gonna turn back."

A few announcements and warnings later about the usual stuff like boys were not allowed to visit the girl's room or the other way round -at this Shin had given Ace a few suggestive looks- and stuff like when they'd start with their rehearsals everyday, most of the people had stopped listening anyway and a few had fallen asleep, so after a few minutes Mr Whitebeard gave up and wished everyone great orchestra and choir week before he sunk down onto his seats in the very first row.

And since it was way too uncool for pupils to sit in the front, he altogether occupied four places with his package and stuff. Mr Shanks and the new student teacher Mr Beckman took care of the other two choir buses, compared to the orchestra of Mr Whitebeard they were more than double in number.

Ayane watched the tall teacher as he took out a newspaper as Shin suddenly stood up.

"Ey, Aya, I'm going to Ace, okay?"

Shin nudged her friend into her sides and grinned as she squeaked. She was just so ticklish! Ayane licked off the molten chocolate on her fingers as she noticed that she had held the cracker the whole time.

"You going to stay with him?", she asked quickly as Shinya gave her a questioning look.

"Maybe. Let's see." She winked and snatched another cracker out of Ayane's backpack.

"You wanna take something with you?" Ayane offered her the pack and she took it happily.

"Yay, thank you, you're way too good to me!" With that Shin bounced off, ignoring the "No running around in the bus!"- calls from Mr Whitebeard and let herself fall down onto the seat next to her boyfriend.

"Hey honey.", he greeted her with a peck on her lips and she smiled. "Missed you, Ace.", she replied and leaned against him. "Oh, what's that?" Ace pulled the chocolate crackers out of her hands and pulled a few out.

"Shinya, Shinya, I told you not to steal Aya's chocolate, right? You know how she becomes when she doesn't get enough. And don't tell me you left her all alone? You're just so unsocial!" He grinned as his girl punched his shoulder and thieved the snacks out of his hands.

"She told me to take them with me! And stop spreading the myth that she's addicted or something, that's not nice at all! Right, Marco, Thatchy?" Shin complained and tried to stop Ace from kissing her while she talked. Thatch turned and frowned disapprovingly at the nickname.

"I told ya not to call me that, right? It sounds like the name of a ...teddy bear."

Shin stared at him and even ignored that Ace pulled her to him to cuddle with her. "You're right, isn't that just great?! Thatchy, The teddy bear!"

He groaned and turned back forward to continue playing with his mobile.

"At least Marco didn't hear that...", he murmured and gave his friend a look. The blonde had closed his eyes while he listened to his music player.

"Aw, I didn't mean it, okay, Thatch?"

Shinya stuck her head in between the seats of the seats in front of her and patted Thatch's head.

"Ey, you're destroying my hairstyle!", he complained and pried her hands off. But she already had stopped paying attention to him. Instead his poor friend was now victim of her attitude.

"Marco, what are you listening to?" She nudged Marco's shoulder and he cracked an eye open to look at the harasser.

"Come on, Shin. Stop getting on the guy's nerves." Ace pulled her back against him and held her tightly even as she struggled. "You meany, I just wanted to tell Marco something!", she whined and finally got the right guy's attention. "And what exactly?", he asked and pulled off his headset.

"I thought... you know, now that I'm here, Ayane might be lonely..." Shinya winked at him and he blinked lazily back. But she knew she had him. "Alright, don't wanna hear you smooching anyway."

Marco grinned and got up and strolled to her former seat. "Get on it!", Shin cheered and ignored the glares most of the people around her sent as she had ripped them out of their sleep. Ace pulled her to him gave her a gentle kiss.

"Shin, promise me you leave him be." She pouted cutely and he raised his eyebrows. "Why?", she asked whiny and he rubbed her back softly. "Cause he asked me to make you.", he whispered into her ear.

"Aww, finally he's trying?!", she murmured excited against his lips. Ace nodded and watched as Shin pulled off her shoes and made herself comfortable on his lap. "Now I know why you're my boyfriend.", she grinned and closed her eyes contently.

"And...?" Ace put his chin on top of her dark blonde mane and nudged her sides as she stuck her tongue out at him.

"You're warm and let me sleep on top of you.", she murmured teasingly and he chuckled.

"Let's see how this works out then, I'm not sure if I'll let you sleep at all.", he grinned back. "You'll let me sleep whenever I want to.", she replied and yawned before she nuzzled her face against his shirt.

"Right, right, you're the boss." Ace held his girl with one arm against his chest and leaned back in his seat.

Sleeping time...

* * *

Ayane stared out of the window and sighed as the bus turned off on the highway. She hated those stupid things. And now she was all alone probably the whole journey. Just great. She fumbled for the package with her chocolate cookies and pulled one out.

Chocolate was her antidepressant.

"Hey, can I have one, too?" Ayane squeaked in surprise and coughed as crumbs of her precious cookie went straight into her lungs. Marco patted her back gently until she slowly stopped and looked up to him with dark red cheeks.

"M-Marco, how did you get here?", she stuttered and he grinned in return.

"Well, I got up and took a few steps and ended up next to you."

Ayane gaped at him, but instead of responding, she averted her eyes and looked out of the window. He couldn't simply...

Yeah, the seat had been free and it wasn't like she minded having him next to her, but..!

"Are you alright?" She turned her head back to him at the gentle voice and looked at him with her innocent eyes. He grinned and leaned back in the seat and closed his eyes, obviously content.

"Never mind me, I'll just sleep, okay?"

"Okay...", she answered quietly and continued watching him while she finished her cookie. She pulled her winter boots off of her feet and pulled her knees to her body, her back against the window so she faced Marco.

"D-do you want a cookie now?", she asked softly, but he didn't answer. What, he couldn't possibly have fallen asleep already! But he breathed slowly and steady, his body relaxed.

Ayane bit another piece of the chocolate cookie off while she leaned to him. She had never seen him this close and well... completely at her mercy. But she was curious and even without wanting to she reached out and touched his hand that rested on his thigh.

Instantly she pulled her arm back and watched if he had woken up at her contact. But just as before he showed no sign whatsoever. Ayane leaned onto her knees as she touched him again and slid her hand into his just to know how it would feel.

Just as she tried to pull back from his warm fingers, he tightened his grip and held her right there. Panicking she looked over to Marco, but still he seemed to be sleeping.

Ayane blushed as she saw the two guys on the seats adverse gave her weird glances as she tried to get free. And of course it was no one else than Law and Zoro, Trafalgar Law, the worst chatterer of the whole senior classes.

Noooo! He and his never-ending stream of words that came out of his mouth would spread rumors like no tomorrow! That black beard, that patterned hat and that smirk that formed quickly as Ayane stared naïvely at him.

Law instantly began to murmur something to his green haired friend and she blushed terribly as Zoro first gave her a look and began to laugh. Why her?! And just why did Marco not let go?!

Right then the bus took a sharp turn and Ayane gasped as she flew onto Marco's lap, of course not without his knee meeting her stomach. His eyes snapped open and he blinked as he saw the blonde girl sprawled out on his legs whining painfully while Law and Zoro laughed their asses off at the sight.

"Shut up!" She hissed at the boys as she picked herself up and wiped tears out of her eyes. Her tummy felt like crimped. "Uh... are you alright?"

Marco sat up and tried to see how much damage his knee had done, but she waved it aside still rubbing her belly.

"Why's your face so red?", he asked with a raised eyebrow and Ayane felt her cheeks burning. "I-It's nothing, really!"

"Ayane's in love with you!"

"A-am not! Shut up, Law!", she retorted and threw the empty cookie box against his head.

"Just leave me be, okay?", she hissed as he complained. Ayane turned her body to the window and pretended not to hear Law's and Zoro's constant cheers and mimics of her own voice. She ignored even Marco's questions and didn't even try to defend herself anymore.

Just why were guys such idiots?! She knew exactly that tears built up in her eyes and she held her breath to suppress a sob. Everything had gone wrong. Even Marco felt her disappointment. Honestly, this was not what he had imagined to happen.

* * *

_author's note ~ _

_hey there! I hope you enjoyed this first chapter of my One Piece story? Gimme a review if you did :3 _

_I tried to write this as real as I could, English is not my first language, be nice with me, okay?_

_That week of the choir and orchestra is not my idea, my school does organize those and guess what? In two weeks from now I'll be going with my own orchestra and I'll write this exactly as it happens and happened the last two years. *evil laughing*_

_So enjoy and I hope you forgive me for putting Ace into the choir, I just couldn't imagine him playing some instrument :D_


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

**Home for a week**

* * *

Marco sighed bored as he watched Ayane typing something on her mobile. She looked up at the sound, but a second later her eyes were back on the screen. She treated him as though that whole dilemma was his fault.

He didn't even know what had happened but it still seemed to be his fault. Oh dear, all he had wanted was to spend a little time with her. Her white-blond locks and the way they fell down her back... he sighed once more but more out of frustration than boredom now.

She was cute, but there was no way he could now make a move on her.

Despite of that Zoro and Law had both managed to fall asleep just a few minutes after their stupid laughing and making fun of Ayane. And one of them snored just awfully loud. Probably the green head.

Marco sighed again. He still had to survive at least half an hour before they'd finally arrive. He turned his head and craned his neck slightly to look back to his friends. Well, the place next to Thatch was still free.

But what would she think if he now disappeared? Nope, he would act like a gentleman, he decided as he leaned his head back against his hands. There was still the possibility that she liked such things like being polite and stuff.

"Um...Marco..? I- I'm sorry, okay? I didn't m-mean to...um..."

He looked up from his music player screen as Ayane suddenly spoke up. She stuttered even worse as he looked at her surprised. A dark blush crept on her face as his confusion turned into a smug and more than amused grin.

"Stop grinning like that!", she complained and nudged his shoulder in a huff. First she finally got the guts and as she told him she was sorry about the whole stuff with ignoring him, he had nothing better to do than to laugh about her!

"What are you apologizing for? You didn't do anything wrong, did you?", he asked and Ayane blinked.

"Alright, forget about that, okay?", he suggested and she nodded. He could nearly see the strain fall off her face and for the first time that day she brought out something you could describe as a smile.

"So..."

Ayane bit her lip as she searched in her head for a half-way normal theme to talk about. She just hated that lame silence when everybody waited for the other to start talking and nothing ever resulted from that. But well, she honestly had no clue what she could converse about with Marco and that was even more embarrassing than not speaking at all.

"Hm..?" He turned his head to the girl waiting for her to continue, but with his questioning gaze he fully extinguished her hope to find a fitting theme.

"Uh...who are you going to share a room with?" Inwardly Ayane slapped herself for that question. Just about each pupil asked their friends that. Oh, screw it.

"Well, Ace, just like the last years." He raised his eyebrows at her question.

"Oh...of course." Her cheeks reddened shamefully, but he just grinned as she shyly looked back out of her window. Conversation failed. Why hadn't she tried to think before asking something like that?

"You really are something, y'know." Ayane looked back to him and found him relaxing in his seat.

"Does your offer of a chocolate cookie still stand?", he asked with closed eyes, his arms behind his head.

"Uh...sure." She instinctively roamed with her hand in her backpack and pulled out the first pack she felt at her fingers. Mini chocolate cookies! Jackpot, her favourite ones! Eagerly she ripped the pack open and spilled most of the sweets onto her lap in the process.

"Here you go." Ayane shove some into his hands and instantly began to bite at one herself.

She melted mentally as the small chocolate droplets in the cookie liquefied on her tongue and overflowed her with sweet pleasure.

"Thanks." Marco picked one up and after regarding it, he shove it into his mouth.

"They are really -" He suddenly stopped as he caught the view of her face.

Somehow between two biscuits she had managed to smear chocolate all over her cheek. He laughed at her expression as she looked at him with her innocent eyes and licked her fingers clean. He bent to her and reached for her face, but she tilted her head to the side to escape.

"You really look like a cookie monster now. Come on, lemme help you. You're covered with chocolate." He reached out and cupped her smudgy cheek despite her protests.

"W-What are you doing?!", she squeaked quietly and tried to shove his arm away. She didn't need any more unwanted watchers. And the bus was ful with possible stalkers! Well, most of them were sleeping anyway, but Marco didn't stop either. "What do you think? I'm making sure you don't have to face the others with that."

He leaned to her and she tensed instantly as he rubbed the chocolate off with his thump and then licked it off his fingers. "So Shin was right when she said you were addicted to sweets, huh?"

The color returned to her cheeks. Just why did everything he said make her blush? "J-just when I'm nervous o-or bored.", she murmured, but he heard it anyway. "Or... are you nervous because of me?", he grinned and stuffed another cookie into his mouth.

God, he knew he was flirting with her, but he couldn't bring himself to stop, not when she looked at him with her flushed face. At least that told him she liked him too somehow.

"I...uh-"

Ayane looked as thought she wanted to say more, but she was interrupted by Mr Whitebeard himself.

"So kids, we're about to reach our hostel, don't forget anything in the bus and take your trash with you. Else I'm going to let you walk home, alright?"

Ayane pulled her shoes back on and to Marco's surprise, she gave him a smile. "Thank you for spending your time here. It was fun."

At his grin she instantly turned her attention back to her backpack to make sure everything was on its right place as suddenly something hit her head. The cookie pack she had thrown at Law landed safely on her lap and as she looked up she saw Zoro smirking.

"Take it as a present.", he called to her and nudged his friend who still slept to get him awake.

* * *

"Hey Shin, wake up."

Shinya made a complaining sound about not wanting to get up now and the voice sighed. "Come on, it's breakfast time." Her eyes snapped open at the words and blinked sleepily as she stared right at Ace's chest.

"Oh, I knew that would wake you up." He grinned and she yawned.

"Where's my food?", she asked and let herself get placed onto the seat next to her boyfriend.

"Here, take a cracker. It was just a trick to get you up." Ace shove Ayane's pack with chocolate crackers into her hands and smiled as she sighed with droopy eyes.

"Why did you wake me at all?" She watched him as he stuffed his things into his green-black bag and fiddled with the pack of sweets in her hand.

"We're nearly there. Maybe you should get your shoes on." Grumbling Shin pulled them on and leaned back against Ace's shoulder. "Couldn't you have carried me? I slept really well 'till now." He laughed quietly as she pouted and pecked her lips affectionately.

"You, my bag and my trunk? And your stuff, too? Sorry, I don't have four arms or so. Besides, Marco asked first, so I have to help him." Shinya closed her eyes once more, just to doze a bit before the bus would come to a final stop.

"So you're carrying Marco, but not me? What kind of boyfriend are you, huh?" She pinched his side and grinned as he twitched. "Ey, stop that, honey. Besides it's just his instrument I'm gonna help him with. Mr Whitebeard told him to take both with him."

She kissed his lips shortly and pulled away before he had the chance to respond.

"Fine, you're forgiven, my favorite pillow. And now get going and bring my bag here." She grinned as he raised one brow at her commanding tone.

"Pretty please?" She gave him her best puppy-eyes and smiled sweetly.

"You know, when you continue being lazy and letting people work for you, you're gonna be fat in less than a month with all the sweets you eat." Ace regretted his words instantly after speaking them out loud as she punched his shoulder as hard as she could.

"You so mean, I should just betray you and hang out with other guys until you come back begging to get back together with me! And you know what I'm gonna say? I'll say 'Sorry, Ace honey, but Thatch just asked me to marry him, it's too late to apologize now.'!"

Ace grinned as she let out her rage at his chest, she nudged and punched him softly, she probably already knew he didn't mean it. Well Thatch turned with a dark expression on his face.

"I'll never ever ever ask you to marry me, okay, Shin? Never ever. Not even if you were the only female on the earth." Shinya stuck her tongue out at him while Ace snickered in the background.

"Oh, we all know you've got a crush on this second flute -"

"Her name's Mary! And I don't have a crush on her!" Thatch glared at Shinya, but she winked back. "No need to get angry, just a joke, okay, Thatch?" He grumbled, but quickly calmed down and nodded.

Finally the bus drove into the hostel's parking place and most of the pupils cheered as they saw the snow-covered area and the big house that would serve them as home for the next week.

"Stand up, Shin. I have to help Marco, remember? Come on, let me out. He's already going and Ayane too."

Ace shove her until she finally sighed and stood to let him squeeze himself past her. All of the others stood in the bus aisle and shoved each other forward, trying to get out of the stuffy vehicle.

Shinya was one of the few that stayed on their seats and waited cleverly until the most pupils had left. Besides she still wasn't in the mood of leaving the warm bus and get out in the icy cold when Ace wasn't next to her to warm her up. She shivered as she saw the heavy snowfall and just wished to cuddle back against her boyfriend.

But well in the end she too stood up, collected her small bag, pulled her jacket on and stepped as the last one out into the winter scenery. Instantly she shoved her hands into her pockets and turned her head to look for Ayane or Ace or somebody she knew.

Oh, and she had to get her trunk, too.

She stepped to the side of the bus and grinned as she found the light blond hair of her friend in the crowd. Ayane stood behind the others and just looked at every suitcase the bus driver lifted out of the loading spaces.

She finally spotted hers and tried to get through the people to her bag. But just as she reached out for it, somebody pushed her to the side and she flew onto the hard snow-covered ground.

"Aya!"

Shinya rushed to her friend, who picked herself up with scraped hands and helped her onto her feet.

"Are you alright?" Ayane nodded confused and wiped her wet hands at her jeans. She winced as the small cuts on her palm began to burn.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I really didn't mean to hurt you."

Shinya glared at the tall guy that stood in front of them, his red hair and the smirk just like ever, sarcasm dripping from his words.

"Eustass, knew I would be you, bastard!" Shinya growled dangerously, but Ayane grabbed her arm despite her wounds to hold her back. "It's okay, stop it, Shin, please! I'm not worth that trouble!"

"Exactly. She stood in my way, what can I say?" Kid threw his bag over his shoulder and grinned as he walked off without listening to the words that Shin threw after him.

"Oh, I'll murder him in his sleep." Shin grumbled under her breath as she picked her and Ayane's trunk up from the ground and started to stomp after him to the hostel's entrance.

"Wait, Shin! He does that to everyone, just leave him alone, please!" She ran after her friend and tried to grasp her own suitcase, but Shinya didn't let go. "You get your bag as soon as your hands are fine, okay? We have to clean the cuts before dirt gets into the wounds. It's just good that I've got my first-aid kit with me."

Ayane sighed and followed after her friend into the warmth of the house where they entered the lobby. Shin put the trunks down next to the others and zipped hers open to get out her famous first aid kit. She nearly took that everywhere and as soon as somebody seemed to be hurt she bandaged the one up despite the protests which she often earned. She would become a doctor one day, for sure.

"Alright, where's the bathroom again?" Shinya shoved her friend forward to get going and a bit embarrassed at her friend's antics she began to walk. She still knew the public restroom, they had passed the last two timed here as well. Every room had a bathroom itself, but well, they didn't have their key yet.

"But Shin, we'll miss the room - allocation!"

"What's more important, not getting an infection or getting the key before the others?" With such health - concerning things Shin was really stern somehow, although nobody knew why exactly. Not even Ace.

"Alright, but just a small band-aid, okay?" Ayane flinched as she held her hands under the water-tap and tried to get the scrapes clean. Shinya huffed at the suggestion, but as her palms were at least halfway dry, she stuck the patches to the raw skin of her friend.

"So... did something happen with you and Marco?", she asked as she packed her first-aid kit up and closed it.

"N-no?"

"Aw, too bad. But you still like him, yeah?" Shinya helped her friend up from the ground where they had sat and watched her blush getting dark. "Uh...don't tell him, okay?" Ayane carefully opened the door and they walked together back to the entrance hall.

"Yeah, yeah. So now, let's get our room, 'kay?"

* * *

_author's note: Here's the second chapter, my dear reader! Thank you for your reviews, seven for the first chapter, I'm thrilled! :3 I also apologize if you didn't like the idea of Law being the chatterer. I just thought giving him a habit nobody would've ever thought about would give him a funny attitude. Please don't take that as reason to stop reading, I'm trying hard to write well =^.^= Thank you for your support and review if you wanna give me a reason to be happy!_


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

❀ **Room Exchange?!** ❀

* * *

Ayane shoved herself through the people who had built circles around the three teachers, Mr Shanks, Mr Whitebeard and the new one, Mr Beckman who each held a list and a transparent folder with the keys in their hands.

Shin followed right behind her and as her friend stopped, she leaned against her and looked over Ayane's shoulder at the red-haired man.

"So, who's next?" Mr Shanks grinned at the bunch of pupils in front of him, all dripping wet from the snowfall outside, including himself.

"Shinya and Ayane."

Shin destroyed any attempts of the other pupils to speak with her own loud voice and ignored the groans as their choir leader looked up from his list to her. They all wanted into their rooms, being wet, cold and hungry wasn't really pleasurable.

"So, Shin and the one from the orchestra, huh? Alright, it's room number forty-eight, two beds, second floor in the east wing. And lunch is in thirty minutes, don't be late, we've got a lot to talk about."

Mr Shanks rattled down his text with all his enthusiasm left from telling every kid just the same thing. Shinya grinned contently and took the key from his hand as he offered it and even managed to get him to grin, too.

"Have fun, you two. And don't forget lunch!", he called after the girls as Shin pulled Ayane with her as they went to get their bags and instrument.

"We'd never forget the meals!", she called back and grasped the handle of her own black trunk.

Ayane hurried with her stuff after her, both hands occupied.

"Alright, he said second floor, yes? Let's take the elevator, I'm too lazy for the stairs." Shin squeezed herself into the rather very small lift and waved her friend to follow.

She ignored Ayane's frown as she hesitantly shove herself into it as well. Better than walking, right?

Barely able to move a finger, Ayane waited impatiently for the arrival in the second floor. And that thing did not smell that well, more like burned rubber and as she finally got out of it she inwardly swore to take the stairs, each and every time.

Shin held open the glass door that led into the corridor where their own room was supposed to be according to the sign and let Ayane walk by before she followed herself.

"Forty-eight...forty-eight...oh, here it is!" Shinya fiddled with the key and opened the door to their home... well, at least for the following week. The two girls shoved each other forwards to get a glimpse of the chamber and Shin cheered as she found another door that led to the bathroom. Their own bathroom!

"That's absolutely not to compare with the hostel last year! And it's got a shower! I'm so happy!"

Shinya let all her stuff fall down in the middle of the room to observe the toilet and shower and all she could find.

"Which bed do you want?" Aya called to her as she slowly sat down on the single chair next to a pretty small table next to the window. One of the two beds, that really looked comfortable, could be seen by anyone who walked in while the other was rather hidden behind the edge of the wall.

"I don't care!", her friend answered and Ayane frowned. Normally it was Shin that wanted to have the better place to sleep or anything.

"Don't you want to choose?", she asked again, just to make sure.

"Yup. It's not like it's important or anything." Okay, now that really was weird. Not like Shin at all, but well, she'd have to make the decision herself. Ayane instantly plopped down on the invisible bed and stretched comfortably.

Shinya exited the bathroom and threw herself onto the other bed, a content grin on her face.

"Oh, I have to search for Ace...", she murmured and watched her light-blond haired friend as she stood up and went to unpack her stuff.

"Don't you want to start unpacking as well? Lunch is in twenty minutes and I still have to change." Ayane threw her confused looks as she shook her head and curled up on her side.

"Not necessary.", she yawned and her friend stopped to deposit her clothes into the nearby wardrobe and frowned at her.

"Okay, what's up, Shin? Tell me, please. It's way too obvious." Shinya sat up and swallowed, suddenly seeming very nervous, but she laughed embarrassed that Ayane had caught on that easily.

"Um... I'll tell you after lunch ..?" Ayane sighed annoyed, but nodded at her pleading gaze and continued to shove her clothes into the small closet. She put her instrument onto the bed as she had finished unpacking for now and pulled a fresh pair of jeans and shirt out of the stack.

"You know you have to get ready, too. Because when I finished changing, I'll get down, with or without you." Ayane vanished in the bathroom and Shin sighed. She was still angry, huh? But she just wasn't ready to tell her yet! Ayane would be pretty annoyed, for sure.

Hesitantly she pulled her comb out of the trunk and pulled it through her strands to get at least a tiny bit of order into it.

"Okay, I'm done!", she called to the bathroom's direction and just then Ayane came out in her cuddly pumpkin-orange sweater. "So... how do I look?", she asked smiling slightly, obviously already back to her former mood.

"Uh... like a carrot?" Shinya laughed as she stared in horror at herself and was about to pull it off as she stopped her. "Just a joke, just a joke! I'm sure Marco will like it." Ayane blushed and averted her eyes at her friend's words.

"That's not for Marco...", she murmured and walked out of the room, Shin, grinning cheekily, right behind her. "Come on, you finally have to tell him. You've liked him for... more than one year, right?" The two girls made their way back down to the ground floor, this time using the stairs.

"It doesn't matter..." Ayane remained silent until they met up with a few other people, including Thatch, that too searched for the dining room.

It was a pretty big hall, well, it had to hold place for more than one hundred-twenty people. There were six possible places at each table and most of them were already occupied. Shin finally found an empty one and conquered it instantly.

Thatch stood around a bit lost until he finally sighed and walked over to the two blondes.

"You still got a place?", he asked embarrassed but sat down at Ayane's nod. "You know, you gotta have to take care of the dishes as a payment." Shin smirked at his frowning face and leaned back in her seat.

"Nope. You won't be mean to my friends again, Shin." Somebody poked her sides and she squealed in protest until the harasser stopped and let himself fall down next to her.

"Ace, you're so mean!", she complained, but leaned against him still. Ayane watched silently and then stared at her plate as though it was something utterly fascinating.

She never had wanted to feel jealous of her best friend, but now she did. She wasn't jealous because she had Ace, more because she had a boyfriend at all. All the things they did together... she just wanted to feel and do them, too. She was lonely whenever Ace appeared, 'cause then Shinya had just eyes for him.

And she was nothing but a pathetic little girl who was starved for attention.

"Ey, you alright?" Ayane looked up and found Marco next from her, his coy smile disappearing at her expression. She nodded silently and averted her eyes, finding everything but him more interesting. Had he come with Ace?

"Ayane?", he asked confused and she felt the other's gaze on her as well. "Yes?" Still she didn't look up and missed his frown.

"What's with you?" She bit her lip at Shin's question, but didn't answer.

"It's nothing...", she finally murmured and took a mouthful of water to occupy herself for the moment. And as one of the kitchen assistants set a pot with soup down onto their table, her weird behaviour was forgotten nearly the instant. Well, who could resist a steaming noodle soup made with love on a cold winter day?

"Here you go." Marco poured some of it into her plate before he helped himself and Ayane glanced at her food as though it would jump at her every moment.

"Thank you.", she replied quietly and again felt his gaze upon her. "You know if you're not feeling well you don't have to eat that." Marco told her, regarding her shortly before he picked up his spoon. She imitated him and sipped at the soup carefully as her tummy growled irritated about the lack of food.

Even as the main dish followed, Marco glanced to her while the others shove their fish sticks down and she gave him nervous looks back whenever he was focused on his own food. Why did he watch her the whole time? Was there still chocolate in her face? She flushed at the thought and didn't even notice his eyes on her.

"You really don't look well, Ayane." He piled his empty plate on top of hers and gave her another weird look.

"No, no, I'm fine!", she squeaked deep red and Ace, who had watched, grinning like every time, was about to say something as finally Mr Shanks spoke up for all the pupils.

He had positioned himself in the middle of the room and Mr Beckman helped him silencing the crowd by tapping a spoon against his glass.

"So, now that we're all well-fed and all, I suppose we tell you how it'll work this week. We'll divide the choir in two parts, 'cause eighty people are too many. So the two parts will alternate at the performances. And of course we'll practice like that, in the evenings we're gonna do the rehearsals together whatsoever."

A few choir people groaned at the thought of getting divided with their friends and even Shinya looked worried at Ace at their choir leader's words. Mr Shanks still grinned at the pouting faces and continued.

"That's the first week, the second one we'll begin with the real rehearsals, that means the orchestra will have to make place for us and we'll get on connecting the whole thing. For the soloists there'll be an extra list who's gonna sing where and when. Mr Beckman will lead the acting and costume practices. Any questions?"

A girl raised her hand and Mr Shanks nodded to let her speak up.

"Can I stay in a group with Robin?", she asked and instantly complains of the others followed.

"That's not fair!"

"Then I want to get into my friend's group as well!"

The red-haired man cleared his throat loudly and waited until his protégés calmed down once more.

"We'll see, Vivi. I thought we'd just divide you by your surnames. But maybe if you are good pupils now we'll find a better solution later. Now the lunch break starts and we'll see each other at 2 pm. Remember, no girls on boy rooms, blah blah, no alcohol or smoking for non-adults and well, let's see... We want to see you in bed at midnight today, okay? And maybe we'll control your rooms, but the most of you might know that already, just like last year. So now, have a nice break!"

* * *

Ayane let herself fall down onto her bed and rolled around comfortably. Her stomach was full and warm, all that she could miss now was a nice little nap under her woll blanket, cuddled against her pillow.

Shin still stood in the door and talked with Ace. They had just found out that the two guys, Marco and him, had gotten the room in the end of their corridor. Just two rooms or so from the one of the girls.

"O-okay, you tell her and I'll go to Marco?" Aya blinked lazily and tried to think about what they might talk and why her friend sounded so nervous as the door suddenly closed. Ace let himself fall on the other bed and watched as the Blondie sat up and looked back questionly.

"Um... Ace?" He raised his eyebrow and that made him look so weird that she her lips curled up in a smile and she tried to hold back a giggle.

"You know why I'm here?" She shook her head and he rubbed his head.

"So Shinya didn't say anything... at all?" Again shake of her head.

"Oh dear... well... how do I start..? Uh... You know that I and Shinya... are a couple, right?" Well, they were best friends and besides everybody could see that clear enough. So she nodded with a weird look.

"That's good I suppose... so I... we wanted to ask you if you... would be okay with her... in my room?" She stared at him.

"What?"

He hesitated for a moment and sighed then.

"You wouldn't even have to stay here alone, I mean-"

"But you know that it's banned, a girl staying at a boy room... and... and besides-"

"But the teachers wouldn't have to know. Do you remember how often they actually controlled the rooms? And they didn't even look if you were in your own room. I know it might be a bit risky when they notice..." She stared at the black-haired guy buffled and not knowing what else to say.

"And Marco would stay with you.", he added and Ayane blushed instantly at the thought. She and him in one room... he sleeping in the bed where Ace currently sat on... and... they'd have to share the bathroom?! On the other side... shouldn't she take a chance like this? She really really liked him after all...

But the simple idea was crazy, what if they actually got caught? Getting sent home and a reprimand wasn't too luring. But the teachers, especially Mr Whitebeard, weren't too fond of looking into every freaking room. There was a good chance they wouldn't notice at all. If their room neighbours played along. But...

"Um... I think... we could... try. But just if Marco's okay with that!", she finally replied and found his eyes shining happily as his grin came back to his freckled face.

"Thank you, Ayane. And I'm sure you won't regret it!" He literally bounced out of the door, without any doubt back to his own room. And Ayane sat on her bed, sighing.

Into what had she gotten herself now?

* * *

_Sorry for the very late update, but guess what? I've been on orchestra week and now I'm full with ideas. It won't be everything like I witnessed it, it's a story after all, time for ideas, romance, anger, anything! And here for my dear reviewers, followers and the ones who read my story (you) a little ❀_


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

**Controversy**

* * *

"Nope."

Shinya put her hands onto her hips and frowned at the stubborn guy.

"Pardon?"

"No, I said no. I'm not gonna risk everything just that you and Ace do whatever you want to in here." His lazy eyes hardened as the girl, who stood in front of his bed and sighed.

"We're not doing 'that' if you thought that. And besides... don't you want to be with Ayane in one room?" Marco glowered and laid back down on his bed, his arms supporting his head.

"Well, thank you for giving me such a broad hint, but no. I'll do it my way." Another impatient sigh followed.

"Oh, come on, Marco! It's not risky and besides, do you even know how much Aya likes you?!" He didn't even look up to her.

"I said no, Shinya. There's no way I'll gamble with that. Ask Mr Shanks, maybe he's got a free room for you lovebirds." His decision was clear. And Shin just hated him now because of it. Marco blinked and she turned as the door flew open and revealed a grinning Ace.

"Well, Ayane's okay with it.", he beamed happily at his girlfriend, but his smile molt as he saw her sour expression.

"Well, Mister Pineapple here is not! You try." She shoved Ace to Marco's bed, who sighed irritated. "I'm not talking with you about that anymore, just leave me be, okay?", he groaned into his pillow.

"And now?" He heard them murmuring, a few ugly words coming from Shin, but well, he was used to it by now. She had never been that polite anyway. He tried to ignore them and it actually worked, until Shin decided to leave and banged the door as loud as she could closed.

"You really made her freak out." Ace sat down on his own bed and watched his friend who shrugged.

"Not my fault." He nodded slowly and then sighed, pushing his hand through his pitch-black strands.

"You know, it was her idea. Maybe she expected too much, I dunno." Marco glanced over to him as he let himself fall backwards down onto his bed.

"You know, you shouldn't teach her more dirty words. And what about 'Mister Pineapple'?! I mean, yeah, I know I don't have hair down to the waist, but it certainly does not look like the top of a pineapple!"

Ace began to snicker at his friend's rage and as he fumbled with his blond strands, he laughed loudly.

"Shut up, Ace!", he grumbled and threw his pillow at the giggling figure, it hit his head and bounced off against the wall. Ace grabbed the large, white thing and tossed it right back, his own following right behind.

"You're... just so... childish!" Marco grinned as he sat up and threw everything he could find on the bed at his friend.

* * *

"Haah... damn stubborn guy..." Shinya muttered even more bad words as she opened the door to her room where she now obviously had to stay.

"Oh, hey Aya." She sat down on her bed and looked over to her friend. Ayane had pulled her legs to her body and watched her with a weird expression.

"Everything okay?", she asked and Aya's expression darkened. As Shinya had come back cursing she had assumed as much as that Marco hadn't agreed. Else he probably would be standing in here and not her.

"Why didn't you tell me?", she asked suddenly and Shin looked up.

"Tell you what?" She looked at her friend confused before it came to her mind. "Oh...that! You know... um... I didn't want to..." Aya narrowed her eyes at her friend.

"You didn't want to what? You didn't want to tell me that you intended from the beginning not to share a room with me? That you wanted to replace me with Ace?!" She nearly shouted while Shin just stared.

"I don't want to _replace_ you! It's just that -"

"Yeah, it's just that Ace's your boyfriend, I know. But he seems to be more important than our friendship anyway!", she hissed and stumbled up onto her feet.

"What the hell, Ayane? What are you talking about?" Shin stared at her furious friend. It had been long ago since Aya lost it last time.

"Oh, so you didn't even notice that all you're talking about is him? That you jump whenever he appears?! It doesn't matter what we have been doing or what we were talking about, you simply ignore me as long as he's there!"

"Aya, you know that's not true! Maybe you - " But Ayane didn't even stop in her furious speech as Shinya tried to defend herself. Her cheeks were red because of her anger and agitation, but she didn't even think about stopping.

"Yes, maybe you simply tell me when you don't want me around next time! You could have told me that you wanted to sit next to Ace from the beginning! And I wouldn't have wasted your precious time with him!"

"You're just jealous! At least I have a boyfriend unlike you! You don't know anything about that!", Shin shouted back as Aya stared unbelieving and finally she turned, took her instrument and strapped it onto her back.

"Oh, just leave me alone!", she cried out and rushed out of the room, the door flying shut behind her.

"Wait, Aya!" Shinya called after her friend, but it had no use anymore. She was gone.

"Just what the hell ...?" She turned in her bed and hit her pillow. What was Aya talking about?! She had not once ignored her while Ace was close, had she? Well, duh, of course she paid attention to him, after all he was her boyfriend! She was just jealous!

But maybe she shouldn't have pointed her single-being out? She sighed softly. Ayane had really looked hurt by her words. But it wasn't her fault! Shin groaned as she took a look at her watch. Five more minutes to go and time to get up.

She zipped her trunk open and roamed in it for her notes. Maybe... just for tonight... she would ask Ace if she could still sleep in their room? The week had really a great beginning ...

* * *

Marco shifted the weight of the instrument on his back and ducked as he walked through the door of the orchestra – room. Yup, having a double bass to carry around... he had lost count of how often he actually had forgotten to duck.

The thing itself was taller than him! He let his note stand fall down onto the floor in the back of the room where also several violin cases and notes and stuff laid around.

Ace walked in behind with his second instrument and Marco's and his own notes in his arms. It was really annoying that he couldn't get his own stuff down alone at once, but well, the raven-haired guy was always volunteering to help. He put the stuff down next to Marco's giant bass case and grinned.

"Thanks, I owe you something."

"It's okay. So now, gotta go or Mr Shanks will throw a tantrum. See ya at coffee break and have fun!" He waved goodbye and disappeared from the room, leaving Marco behind.

Ace really had much to do, after all he played a soloist and thus he had much more stress than the "normal" choir - and orchestra members. He had to learn the text, try the costumes on, had extra lessons for acting and had to run from one group to the next where he would sing the next part. Of course there was a second cast, but still... there was a lot to do.

They didn't have projects like that one often, the students lost a week of the classes and had to learn it in the holidays. It wasn't exactly fun learning the school stuff, but the results and work with their music group was all worth it.

The other members of the orchestra had already built up the semi-circle where they would sit in front of their conductor.

Marco even spotted Ayane with her violin. She sat alone on the third and last chair of the first violin, her note stand disposed in front of her, her violin laid on her lap along with the bow. But the whole time she stared at her instrument and her eyes were reddened. She looked like she had just finished crying. It was really weird, did she even have a reason to cry?

Just in that moment the concertmistress sat down elegantly on her own chair and blocked his gaze to Aya. The head violin was a bit full of herself, her face not often seen without make – up.

Altogether Hina was a young female, often admired by the male gender, once for her looks, then for her aloofness and finally her skills on her instrument. Without any doubts she played really really good. She already had gotten the permission to enter one of the best music universities and study the violin. But all that had made her... well, a bit arrogant.

She had her own small circle of friends chosen by her, and there was just one guy who could actually handle her. And that guy just managed to be Marco's neighbor when he played his bass. The only other double bass in the whole orchestra.

Smoker.

The guy was just about half a year older than Marco, close to nineteen. But somehow the two of them didn't like each other that much. Smoker had weird hair and nobody knew if he had dyed it or not. Silver-gray wasn't exactly the most normal hair color, was it?

And besides he often was moody and gruff, sometimes even a bit commanding. He played the bass quite well, but Mr Whitebeard had asked Marco to accompany him with a few pieces of the operetta, because Smoker alone couldn't create the sound that was needed.

How they would solve that problem in the performances was not yet clear, after all Marco couldn't just jump up from his main instrument, run around the whole orchestra and play the double bass, could he? Perhaps he would just play one of the acts as bass?

Finally as Mr Whitebeard came in and walked to his own note stand with the scores on it, the people grew quiet. He let them tune up their instruments and then grinned to his pupils.

"Alright, let's get started, we've got no time to waste." Mr Whitebeard opened the scores and before he could began to announce the piece, Marco lifted the bow of his double bass into the air.

"Mr Whitebeard? Am I to stay with the bass?", he asked lazily and the tall teacher nodded.

"Yeah, you can change after coffee-break. There we'll try out number sixteen and the ouverture. I think Smoker will make it alone then."

"Of course I will...", the gray-haired guy murmured with a annoyed gaze at Marco.

"Alright! Y'all open number fourteen, that's the end of the first act. And we'll start at arco, that's letter B. And first violin, remember the fingering and the piano!"

The whole time until the coffee break finally arrived had them occupied with that stupid number fourteen. It was exhausting for the violins, because the notes were extremely high, straining for the flutes and oboes after having to repeat the same bars at least five times and boring for the brass seeing as they didn't have much to play there anyway.

It bored Zoro that bad that he took the fat scores of the choir that laid behind Mr Whitebeard, what meant he ran around the whole orchestra, took the notes and got back to his place before his cue was in sight. At a few places he even began to sing, but after a few lines he grew tired of that, too and he sunk back in his seat and fell asleep. Not really entertaining for them...

Well, the string band and the woodwinds had to play the whole time. And as Mr Whitebeard finally put his baton aside and announced a break with coffee and cake, everyone tried to get their instrument as fast as possible stored and got to the dining room.

Marco caught up with Ayane as he had stuffed his bow into the case and just found her walking out of the orchestra room.

"Hey, how's it going?" He grinned lazily and Ayane smiled as she found his bedroom eyes looking even more droopy than before and he yawned tiredly. "I'm fine. But my wrist already begins to hurt.", she complained and rubbed her right hand, her bow arm.

"Show me." Marco grabbed her wrist and gently massaged her joint with his fingers. Aya instantly blushed as a small sigh came over her lips, but he didn't seem to notice as he let her hand go.

"Anyway I'm looking forward to my bed ...", he murmured and scratched his chin as they entered the room. Instantly the scent of fresh coffee and tea overwhelmed them and Ayane grabbed one of the plates next to the delicious desserts.

She took a cup of hot water, a tea bag and balanced a piece of a creamy cake to their place, but stopped dead in her tracks as she saw Shin sitting there with Ace ans Thatch. Right... they shared a table...

Shyly she waited for Marco until he had poured himself his cup of black coffee and walked then with him to the three. Silently she sat down next to him and gave her friend not a single glance. She was afraid, yes, she didn't want to think about how she would look at her.

Marco sighed and sipped at his drink. Yeah, he needed that bitter stuff without any sugar or milk now or else he'd fall asleep the instant. But why did Ace stare at him and wiggle his eyebrows, nodding his head to the two girls?

His lazy eyes followed the sign and found Shinya giving Ayane a very dark look, her sour expression one of doom as she chewed slowly on her piece of cake.

The Blondie next to him avoided her gaze completely and had her body turned towards him. Just what ...? They hadn't spoken a single word with each other. Oh dear, what had happened now? Marco sighed in unison with Ace, ignoring Thatch's curious look.

He sipped once more at his hot coffee. They would explain it to him later for sure.

* * *

_arco = playing with the bow, opposite to pizzicato = to pluck at the strings_

_Hey there, Happy New Year! I wrote that chapter this evening and tried to finish it before 2013. But well, duh, I'm simply too slow. I needed one hour too much. But well, I did my best, dear readers! Have fun with this chapter!_


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

**Night and Choir**

* * *

After coffee break Ayane instantly went back to their room, Marco accompanying her. She was awfully quiet, even more than normal, maybe it was because she was tired just like him. Ace and Shin had followed them upstairs but there was always a distance between the two girls. Ayane didn't even wait for her friend, rather she instantly disappeared in the room without any other words.

Marco glanced after the Blondie confused and waited until his friend had reached him, but again to his surprise Shin didn't let go of Ace's arm and gave the door, where Ayane had entered, a testy look.

She followed the two guys into their room without any hesitation and made herself comfortable next to her boyfriend on his bed.

Marco pulled his hoody off and let himself fall down onto his own bed.

"Ey, no stripping in here." Ace snickered and he sighed at his friends annoying remarks.

"Look, I'm still wearing my underwear, trousers and t-shirt. You've got nothing to complain, you little nudist.", he retorted and grinned as his friend suddenly looked a bit flustered.

"Well, there's nothing wrong with occasionally walking around bare-chested. It was way too warm in there and besides the girls didn't seem to mind.", he chuckled and nudged his girlfriend, but she just glared at him and then she sighed.

"Guys? Can I stay here tonight?" Marco sat up and frowned at the female. She stared at Ace's bedding and fumbled with it, her expression suddenly rather sad.

"Will you tell us now what you did with Ayane?" Well, her glare was back, but her boyfriend did his best not to flinch.

"She started it! She insulted me and blamed me for every stupid thing! She even offended you!" Ace's smile faltered as he saw how troubled she seemed.

"What did she say?", Marco asked and she was quiet for a moment.

"She said that I would replace her with you. But that's not true, right?" She looked up begging Ace to answer, but he seemed to be in deep thoughts.

"Well... not really, since she doesn't make out with you like I do, right? She could never kiss as good as I do." Instantly she slapped his head and tried to shove him off the bed.

"You're so stupid, I don't even know why you're my boyfriend!" Shin complained loudly about his obvious and not pretty appropriate thoughts, but still blushed as he kissed her cheek apologetically.

"Marco, why's your face red? Oh, don't tell me you just had imaginations, too!" She glared as he quickly shook his head, but his flushed cheeks spoke for him. Shin frowned sourly. Guys...

"That was all?", he instead asked and she shook her head hesitantly.

"Well, she said that I would neglect our friendship when that fluffy, black thing behind me is around and... I kinda... shouted at her... and I don't think I should meet up with her yet.", she finished and crossed her arms as all she got were confused and weird stares.

"What did you say to her?" Ace nuzzled her shoulder and she leaned against him, unsure if she should tell them.

"Euh... it doesn't matter! Ask her yourself, why do I have to tell you that whole stuff anyway?!", she interrupted and Marco cleared his throat.

"Because you're the one crawling here and begging to stay the night here and not her.", he told her dryly.

"She wouldn't do that anyway. I'm always the one who gets stuck with that.", she huffed.

"Now don't be mean, Shin. I'm sure Ayane misses your horrible character by now." With that she pushed Ace fully onto his bed and hovered over him. "My next boyfriend will be a honorable guy from the orchestra, I tell you!"

Marco rolled his eyes as his friend began to kiss her and leaned back, not wanting to see anymore of that.

"You're stuck with me, there's no next boyfriend, never ever." Ace rolled over and groaned as he hit his head on the wooden framework of the bed. It was simply to small to do thing such as those. Maybe if they cuddled up close...

"It's a deal." Shin and Ace both looked to the fair haired guy who stood up and began to pile up clothes in his arms, adding a few other things.

"Deal?", they both asked and Marco sighed.

"Just one night and if somebody find out I'll bury you two alive, okay? Just 'cause you're too stupid to make up with Ayane. But well, I'll get your head if something happens. And Ace, no stripping either. If I find just a single slip on my bed or my trunk..."

"Ey, you're talking as though I'm a whore!" Shinya threw a pillow at him, but he dodged.

"I'm just warning you. Ace knows what I'm talking about." She instantly looked at her boyfriend who had flushed dark red.

"Hey, we were fifteen and Thatch thought it would be funny if one of the girls found her underwear in our room..."

"Girls?!" He didn't hear any more words as he walked out and closed the door behind him.

* * *

Ayane sighed and wiped at the tears that just wouldn't stop running down her cheeks. She shouldn't cry, really, she was old enough not to cry about a stupid conflict between her and her friend. But she had thought Shinya wouldn't leave her all alone in the room.

Apparently she had found shelter with the guys, leaving her alone in the rather big-for-one room. Every minute or so she glanced at the alarm bell, hoping it would actually show the time to stroll back down to the orchestra.

At least Shinya wouldn't be there. But she had just said what had been on her mind for ever since Ace was a part of her friends life. She had no one, just like every time. Ayane buried her face into the collar of her sweater and closed her eyes tiredly.

Oh yes, she was so tired of that, of the whole day. Couldn't it just disappear? Her eyes snapped open as she heard the quiet _click_ of the door and she quickly tried to destroy and signs of her crying. Shinya would just mock her about it.

But then her eyes went wide as she saw not Shin, rather Marco plopping down on the free bed.

"Yo.", was all he said to her before he made himself comfortable on the mattress.

"What are you doing here?" Ayane knew her cheeks had turned red probably, but inwardly cheered as she heard her own voice without any stutters or anything that would give her feelings away. Not that he would be interested in such things.

"Well, I'm escaping from the sight of our friends smooching. What 'bout you?" He chuckled as she blushed again and averted her eyes. He watched the blonde a moment before he dug in his pockets and threw a pack with tissues against her head. She blinked and looked down at it. He had seen it?

"Wipe your nose, you don't look pretty at all like that.", he stated and even more embarrassed she took one and blew her nose.

"I don't look pretty anyway...", she murmured and sniffled.

"You okay?" Marco stood next to her bed suddenly, his arms crossed as he looked down to the female. He sat down next to her, his hands in the pocket of his hoodie.

"Why are you really here?", she asked instead of answering to his question and he sighed.

"Don't always answer with counter questions. Right, your brat of a friend just didn't want to stay in a room with you and so as the nice guy who I am I changed rooms with her. But before you begin to scream bloody murder or anythin' like that... just this night, 'kay?"

Silently she nodded and he frowned, he had hoped for a well... better reaction. Wasn't she glad at all? Shin had said that her feelings would be something like mutual, but he hadn't seen just _any_ sign that proofed it. Except of her blush maybe.

Maybe he had to be straightforward? It had worked with Ace and his girl. But he wasn't Ace! And that girl in front of him most certainly didn't look like Shinya. He couldn't just talk about things like _that_. He took a deep breath and leaned a bit closer to her.

"Ayane... " She glanced at him, her eyes still red, but filled with questions as he didn't continue his speech. He neither seemed to know what he wanted to say, but then somebody banged against the door and Ace's voice echoed in the whole hallway.

"Gotta go, it's time!", he called and grinned as Marco pulled the door open and glared at him.

"Fine." He strolled behind Shin and himself, Aya quickly got into step with him. His girlfriend leaned against his arm, her fingers linked with his as she enjoyed the small walk with him. Marco left the small group at the orchestra room and pulled Ayane with him, and as Ace and her reached their own rehearsal room, Mr Shanks stood in front of the open door and shooed him in.

"I can't have you being late, Mister King-of-the-Pirates. Luffy at least is on time, even if he falls asleep, he's still on time, Ace." Ace waved the words aside grinning and Shinya left him to talk to a few of her other choir friends while he turned his head to look for his crazy half brother.

He found him in the other corner of the big room chatting with his friends, whose names he barely knew. Even when they were related, it didn't mean they shared everything, both had their own circle of friends. So Ace tip-toed over to Luffy and as he was close enough that one of his friends noticed him sneaking up on him, the girl with the straight, black hair, he tackled him to the ground.

Luffy yelped and gasped as the weight of his half brother sent them tumbling down onto the floor while Ace laughed his ass off.

"Hey Ace!", he grinned as he noticed his brother standing up from his back and took the offer of being pulled back onto his feet. "Hey, little brother, how have ya been?"

"Great, I tell you, I'm gonna be the best pirate king ever, better than you.", he grinned and Ace whacked his brother's head.

"Don't get cocky now. You're just the understudy, they chose me first." He smirked as the other black-head complained loudly about the hit and then how mean his brother was.

"Nice to see you again, Ace." One of Luffy's friends spoke up, ignoring the whining guy. It was the one with the long blond strands that even covered one of his eyes.

"Uh, thank you I suppose, but I'm afraid I don't remember your name..." Ace sheepishly rubbed his head and the other guy grinned.

"That's alright, it's Sanji."

"Ah, yeah. Haven't met in a whole bunch of time, eh?"

"Yeah.", Sanji replied and sat down on one of the tables that were piled on the sides of the room to make place for the students.

"How are you doing with your text?", the black-haired girl asked curiously and before Ace could answer, Sanji interrupted.

"Oh Robin-chan, you're so modest, beautiful and gallantly asking that question! If I had a bouquet of flowers..!" Ace blinked as that speech that dripped with admiration and then at Nico Robin's nonchalant expression as though she was used to that. Maybe that was the reason he didn't remember Sanji? Perhaps his brain had blocked that out?

Well, one never knew. Finally Mr Shanks closed the door with a loud noise to get attention and the pupils strolled to their seets. Luffy and Ace as well as the other soloists didn't have that much luck, they had to stand most of the time. So they made their way over to the others that already had built a group in one edge of the room.

Eustass Kidd stood there, too, arms crossed and a devilish smirk playing on his lips. Ace raised his eyebrows, that guy thought about something that would probably cause a lot of trouble. Kidd turned his head to him, obviously had he noticed his glare, but he just smirked back.

"Got a problem, freckles?", he asked quietly and mocking him with his gaze and nickname. Ace growled and murmured a few incoherent words before he turned his attention back to the choir leader. Thatch too stood next to him and sighed in boredom, rubbing his chin and humming one of the pieces he would sing to occupy himself. It was not as though Mr Shanks would talk to bore his pupils, but some things needed to be said.

"... and now we'll get to number five, you know where the daughters dance and while we do that... Eustass, Ace, Thatch, you three will visit the orchestra, Mr Whitebeard said he had time and you'll get to sing number twenty-nine, your trio. And try to do it without your notes and text, the earlier you know it by heart, the better." Ace frowned about the thought of singing with Kidd and nudged his friend who hadn't listened.

"By heart, bloody hell..." , Eustass murmured annoyed and shove roughly his choir mates out of the way to reach the door, the other two right behind him.

"What do we have to do?" Thatch yawned and rubbed his eyes sighing.

"The same thing we'll do the next week." Thatch sighed again at that answer and lazily looked at his friend. Just why were they that tired? Marco too had acted like that.

Thatch had the male leading role as a pirate who falls in love with a random girl and then tries to get off the ship to marry her, but well, the pirate king wouldn't allow that. And matching Ace's realtionship to Kidd, he played the policeman who chases the pirates and tries to capture them. Of course the operetta had a happy end.

Finally the three guys reached the giant room of the orchestra and Eustass waited to knock until there was silence, otherwise he had no chance to get through the room or even be heard by Mr Whitebeard.

He opened the door and first of all heard Smoker's loud complain as the three guys squeezed themselves past him and his double bass, past the celli until they stood next to the tall conductor who greeted them with his loud, booming voice.

Suddenly Ace yelped as something thin and sharp poked his side and his head snapped to the culprit. Marco sat there, grinning like an idiot, with the very instrument that he himself had carried so often, his main instrument, a dark-lacquered Cello and the bow in his other hand.

He sat just next him on the outside of the orchestra, but his neighbor, a pretty girl with fascinating hair, Camie, was completely focused with her notes. Ace grinned back while Thatch abstractly waved towards Ayane, ignoring the whole orchestra's murmurs about the new comers.

"Alright, let's get started, we don't have any time of the world!" And with that Mr Whitebeard swung his stick and the rehearsal began.

* * *

_author's note:_

_ Hey there^^ I hope you enjoyed this chapter? Took me quite a time to write. But well, maybe it was worth it. If you liked it or have a question or something like that, just gimme a review or a message 3_

_The next chapter will be out soon!_


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

❀**Apple Blossoms❀**

* * *

"Uah, my tummy is so stuffed with pizza..."

Ayane groaned and let herself fall onto her mattress, Marco imitating her.

"Yeah, me too. I mean... four meals a day are simply too much.", he chuckled as the blonde made a few complaining remarks about getting fat and all the while she stroked her stomach.

"I swear, last year I picked up at least three kilos. And I'd probably throw up if I moved right now.", she sighed and sat up, leaning her back against the pillows.

"Yup, you look absolutely pregnant.", he grinned and chuckled again as she stared bewildered and shocked and pulled her hand off her stomach.

"What?! But I-"

"Just a joke, don't take it seriously, really Ayane. Actually you look cute with your tummy round like that...", he interrupted her and snickered as she blushed. Well, she wasn't fat or anything, but when she ate too much her stomach had the habit to show it. But if he really liked that?

Marco stood up suddenly and grabbed his clothes that he had taken with him. Shinya had really had the nerves to take her whole trunk with her as though she'd stay with Ace forever. "So you wanna take a shower first?", he asked and motioned towards the bathroom. That actually made Aya move.

"Um... if you don't mind? I promise I'll hurry up, too." She gave him short glance and stood up to collect her sleeping suit, towel and her wash bag.

"Huh... I thought girls always take hours and days in the bathroom?", he teased right back and grinned as she huffed and walked past him.

"Well then, go ahead and we'll see how long you take." Ayane crossed her arms in a fake-huff and motioned with her head to the toilet's door.

"Aw, no reason to get all moody now, Aya." She twitched as he suddenly stood right behind her, his fingers curling around her upper arms that were bare, thanks to the fact that she had pulled her orange-pumpkin-pullover off. Previously to escape the lingering warmth caused by the heater and all that was left was her blue top.

Ayane turned her head and the words that laid on her tongue, ready to tell him to let her go, dissolved as she found his mischievous, blue eyes glance right back with amusement. His chest pressed against her back and she flushed as she felt all his well–defined muscles.

"Marco?" He hummed as confirmation that he had heard her and let his hands slide down her arms.

"What... are you doing?", she murmured, her voice quivering nervously as he didn't stop to touch her skin.

"Your hand's still hurting?", he mumbled into her ear and leaned his head against hers as he grabbed her left hand.

"It's alright.", she replied quietly and actually leaned back against him a bit, his smile widened as he felt her relax. His fingers began to knead her wrist gently and she sighed blissfully, her eyes closing halfway.

But right then he did the stupidest thing ever. He playfully bit her earlobe.

Ayane flinched and began to struggle against his hold until he let her go. She stared at him, her hand at her ear, shock and fear lingering in her eyes.

"I-I'll take a shower!", she brought out and literally fled into the bathroom, the door shut behind her instantly.

And Marco stood there like a lost and confused puppy. Had he hurt her? But the bite hadn't been hard or anything. Probably he'd been too straight forward, too much at once for his first try to flirt physically. She had pretty much liked that all besides the bite. He'd have to try again, yeah. And he had to get her used to his small affections. After all he wanted more than just massaging her hands.

He sunk down onto his bed as he heard the shower running. Right, she had said she would hurry up. But still, he could close his eyes, just until Ayane got out of the bathroom, ten minutes or so...

"Marco? Marco, come on." He made some throaty sounds to complain as hands began to shake him awake.

"Hey, wake up, okay?" As the annoying shaking didn't stop, he finally cracked an eye open and blinked against the lamp's light before he saw Aya kneeling next to his bed. Her light-blond hair was still damp and she had her towel over her shoulders to avoid her sleeping suit to get soaked.

"I'm sorry I had to wake you, but I thought you still wanted to shower and stuff..?" Ayane smiled sheepishly at him as he sat up and blinked sleepily. Just how had he fallen asleep that quick?

"Huh... thanks for waking me I suppose..." He looked around a bit spacy until he spotted his stuff and grabbed it.

"I'll be right back.", he murmured and stalked towards the bathroom, leaving Ayane behind him with a confused expression. Just what did he talk about?

Marco growled as he looked at himself in the bathroom's small mirror. He actually had dark rings under his eyes and his hair was even messier than before.

Grumbling he stripped down, stepped into the shower and winced as he turned it on and actually burning hot water poured out. Since when was there any warm water at all?

He sighed and already missed the ice cold showers they had here last year as the water finally decided to get at least lukewarm. Obviously the hostel had decided to redecorate after years of communal showers and bathrooms.

Just then he noticed he had forgotten something.

His s-h-o-w-e-r g-e-l.

Duh.

Marco groaned as he indeed just found his shampoo. And no, he wouldn't wash himself off with that creamy, crappy stuff.

So now Marco was at the point most men had to decide once in their lives. Going with a girl's bubbly, sweet-smelling stuff or doing nothing at all.

He grabbed the light green bottle that promised him apple-blossom scent for at least 48 hours and scowled. At least no bubble gum smell or anything pink, right?

Hesitantly he screwed the top off and sniffed. Unfortunately the package hadn't lied. He definitely wouldn't feel like himself tomorrow, more like apple-blossoms-and-rainbows-everywhere-Marco. But there was the chance that his deodorant would cover it up. At least a tiny bit. Hopefully.

It was weird, just plain weird to smell like an apple blossom and all that seemed to miss now were green fairy wings. For a girl it surely smelt pretty good. And he really wouldn't have complained if he hadn't been male.

Sighing he dried himself off after that pretty weird shower for his standards, brushed his teeth and appropriately dressed for the night he stepped out of the steamy room.

He frowned at the door and locked it for the night, just in case some teacher thought it funny to look in every room for students disregarding the rules. Marco strolled the few steps back to his bed and let himself fall down on it.

"Tiireeed...", he murmured and rolled around just to find Ayane, sitting on her bed in a pretty cute sleeping suit, watching him with mild surprise. And of course a blush reddening her cheeks.

"I didn't know you had... a tatoo...", she said and pulled an evenly green wool blanket over her small frame.

"Ah yeah. I got it two years ago or so.", he shrugged and then noticed her gaze was fixed on his chest. Right, he was dressed appropriate for men standards. Ah well, and she seemed to like his black shorts, too. Marco grinned at her curious eyes and she instantly averted them.

"Like what you see?", he asked and chuckled as she buried her face into her sheets.

"Yes.", she whispered suddenly and his grin widened.

"How's that?", he asked, just to mock her.

"Nothing." Ayane curled up so all he could see was her back and he frowned. She stared at her pillow with deep red cheeks and buried her face into it. Just why did he have to walk around half-naked?

Of course she liked what she could see, she had known he had muscles, but that they were... well quite above-average... and his tattoo... it was some mystical sign, but it really looked... extremely... She simply had no words to put it right. Was he just playing with her? All he did was to make her blush.

She heard a few taps of bare feet on the ground and then the light got switched off. A few taps of feet later and she waited with wide open eyes as Marco stood directly next to her bed. What would he do?

But then she blushed even more and actually she was glad it was entirely dark in the room as he pulled her blanket over her body.

"G'night, Aya.", he grinned and strolled back to his mattress. He flung himself on top of it and wrapped himself into his sheets. Mission making-a-sweet-ending-of-the-day accomplished! That was not quite typical for him, but it probably was worth it.

* * *

"Ey Ayane, hurry up. Other people wanna use the bathroom, too. Other people like me."

Marco knocked at the door for maybe the third time and still she wouldn't open.

"Just two more minutes!", she squeaked and he groaned.

"Come on, I've got just ten minutes left. And I don't want to go down there half-naked." Unfortunately he had stored his clothes in the bathroom as he had taken a shower. He surely wouldn't do that again. He looked up and sighed as he finally heard the _click_ of the lock and Ayane stood in front of him fully dressed, but her orange pullover had gotten replaced by her favourite white fluff jacket.

"That's all? I waited twenty minutes just for you to dress?", he asked with a raised eyebrow and she pouted.

"Well, I'm sorry I did my hair and washed my face, too. Maybe I should just walk out the door with messy and tangled hair so everyone would think I was a witch, right?", she replied huffily and crossed her arms.

"Aw, do you want a hug now?", he mocked back and patted her head pitiful, but she obviously didn't have that innocent thoughts. A hug with the guy she absolutely adored while he was half-naked and all? She covered her cheeks with her hands and he chuckled and shoved himself past her into the bathroom.

He sniffed tentatively at his skin and scowled. Apple-blossoms still stuck to his body and he was all too grateful that he had brought his deodorant with him. And his hoodie would do for today, too.

As he got out of the bathroom he found Aya sitting and dozing on his bed, her lips were slightly parted and her eyes glazed. But sadly as soon as he came closer she snapped out of it and blinked at his grinning form sleepily.

"No falling asleep again here, okay?" He flicked his finger against her forehead and she winced as she rubbed the red spot.

"I'm not the one who fell asleep in the five minutes I took a shower.", she smiled and he grinned.

"Ey, you could have been over a hour in there, that's more likely the situation."

"You're so unfair. You get no breakfast." Ayane shove him out of her way and was about to unlock the door and walk out without him.

"No, you don't." Before she even could touch the knob again he suddenly stood behind her, his hands holding hers tightly.

"You wouldn't be that unfair to let me starve her all alone, right Ayane?", he murmured into her ear and leaned his head against hers just like the day before. "Just if you're being a good boy...", she replied and shivered as he chuckled.

He let her go and opened the door for her. "Ladies first." She frowned as he bowed and motioned for her to walk in front of him.

"Please stop acting like that, okay?", she spoke as she accepted the offer and found him falling in step with her after a few seconds. "What, I'm a 'good boy' and now you don't want me? Tsk..."

* * *

The two of them entered the dining room and found that they were nearly the only ones, except for a few others, Mr Shanks and even Thatch sat on his place, nibbling at his cereals. Ace and Shinya were still missing. Well, but what did they expect, most of the pupils wanted to sleep longer and even skipped breakfast for that.

"Morning...", Thatch mumbled with a mouth full with cornflakes. "Good morning.", Ayane smiled at his tired face and uninterested expression.

"Where's Ace?", he asked and Marco hummed.

"He's with his girlfriend.", he answered for Ayane, who had gotten up to help herself with some yoghurt.

"Uhu...", he murmured and poked in his muddy cereals and milk. "You don't look that well." Marco examined his friend, including the dark rings under his eyes and the messy and shaggy hair.

"Yeah, guess what? Vista and Rakuyo were both snoring. _Loud_.", the brown-haired male groaned and leaned his head onto his hand. "And Law and his brats-of-friends are just across."

Marco patted his shoulder. "Poor guy, they haven't let you sleep, huh?" "I you only knew..." Thatch sighed and watched as Ayane came back with a portion muesli.

"You did a great job yesterday, Thatch." Ayane smiled as he looked up half-asleep. "Yeah? Thank you, did my best." He sighed again and shoved his food aside, instead he chose to rest his head on his arms. "I'm so tired...", he complained.

"Well, you're lucky that lunch break's always that long, huh?" Marco grinned as he stood up to get bread and stuff and Thatch even managed a small smirk.

"Yeah, a nap would be just the right thing now. But I don't think Mr Shanks would let me sleep. Darn being a soloist."

"Well, it's just your own fault. If you just hadn't done the audition." The blonde guy plopped back down onto his seat with his plate loaded with rolls, butter and marmalade.

"Pah, look at Ace, he at least seems to be able to sleep and he's a soloist as well..." Thatch puffed his cheeks out like a huffy little boy and continued staring at the table.

Marco amusedly shook his head at his friend's problems and instead watched Ayane as she slowly licked the creamy, white yoghurt off her spoon and then dipped it into her muesli to get another mouthful. Damn, he had to get her for himself as soon as possible.

The small lines of the cream that she had missed to lick off with her tongue just were far too tempting to simply lick off himself.

* * *

_author's note(s): Hello people! Well, this chapter was more on the private side and I really enjoyed Marco's point of view. Apple-blossoms. He will have a trauma and never buy anything apple-flavored. Or he'll get over it, one never knows. Next chapter will show more music-related stuff. Promised. And duh, I'm sick. I wrote this chapter coughing and sneezing. Don't be afraid, my stories aren't contagious. (I hope)_

_On Wednesday the rehearsals for my schools operetta are starting - means no school (°-°) (*.*) Six days in a row, week-end inclusive... Let's see when I'll find the time to write _

_And thank you for all the reviews, I'll personally answer, if I haven't done that already :3 Oh yeah and I changed a tiny thing, it's the 's' in_

_ orchestra - and choir weeks - means it's just one week ;*_


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

**Finally Noticed**

* * *

"First violin, once more! And would you finally register that there's a c-flat? And no accent on the first notes. Alright, one...two!"

Marco leaned back against his seat with his cello and grinned quite amused as he saw the sour expression on Ayane's face as the first violin had to play the meanest piece of music ever.

Those stupid shifts on her fingerboard just freaked her out. And why the hell were there just sixteenth parts while all the others just had a simple melody or just had to hold the note? Not fair. She flinched as the two violins in front of her decided to forget the c-flat once more and finally it was enough.

Hina turned as they had stopped, with her hair flying all around in a perfect movement and her red lips were pursed in annoyance.

"Would you finally play that right?!", she hissed at Aya and before she could respond, the pink haired concert mistress turned back to her notes. The Blondie glared at Hina's back unbelieving and then she huffed and let her eyes rest on her lap. Stupid bitch. Just because she was third chair? She had played it right!

She looked back up as Mr Whitebeard raised his baton to give a new upbeat for the next piece. But just as everyone had their instruments ready, he put his stick back onto his note stand.

"A small anecdote before we start the overture.", he announced and everyone sighed and set the violins, cellos, violas and woodwinds back down.

"You all remember Mister Rayleigh, right?" Ayane nodded to herself as the music teacher mentioned his fellow. Though the silver-haired man had been responsible for biology. He had left the school a few years earlier though.

"Once Mr Rayleigh assisted the brat of a choir leader in a concert and offered to turn the pages while he played a Serenade on the grand piano or something like that. However, as Rayleigh had turned it once, he sat down and skidded back with his chair. He fell along with the chair down the stage and right into a palm tree that stood casually next to it. And now we get started, refreshed and ready to give the pirate king a proper piece to sing to."

He lifted his baton once more, but all of his pupils stared at him until one started to snort at the hilarious situation and got the others to laugh as well.

"Gurarara! That was worth it, wasn't it, kids? And of course they put the poor plant back onto it's place." Mr Whitebeard rubbed his beard while he grinned at the happy faces.

"Alright, I decided otherwise, ten-minutes-break!" He laughed again as he saw the surprised looks and let himself fall down onto his own chair.

Hesitantly the students stood up and strolled to their cases to store the instruments in and get out of the stuffy room and to get coffee or tea and stuff. Marco put his cello onto the floor, the bow on top and went to fetch Ayane who just packed her violin up.

"Oh, hey Marco, how's it going?", she asked and smiled up to him as he stood next to her.

"Quite funny to watch you playing the same stuff over and over.", he grinned back and she scoffed.

"Yeah, I guess it is for you since you have nothing to do at all. How about we exchange instruments, huh? Wanna watch you becoming desperate when you see the notes."

Marco smirked and offered her his hand to get her back up onto her feet. But as she took his hand, he pulled her up against his chest and wrapped his arms around her back.

"You're so mean, first no breakfast, then you want to see me depressive...", he murmured into her ear, ignoring completely the fact that at least half of the orchestra could watch them.

"Marco, what are you doing?", she wriggled a bit in his grasp, her face, that was pressed against his chest, deep red.

"A little hug won't kill you, yoi.", he responded and found her stopping her resistance.

"But that's embarrassing...! We're not even a..." Ayane hid her face in his hoodie and he chuckled. "Would you want us to be?", he replied quietly and fully aware that it embarrassed her even more. Ayane was silent at that, but she felt her cheeks burn at the thought.

"If... if you're just playing with me, you better stop now...", she whispered and pressed with one hand against his torso.

"Aya, I'm not playing. I'm serious." His grin fell as he saw her doubtful face. This was what she wanted, right? Just why was she so nervous and frightened then? He was a great guy, if he wanted to he could have any female. Why her? She admired him and suddenly he showed interest?

"No, you're not." She shoved against him and he let go, too confused to mind.

"Huh? How would you know?", he asked and she blushed and began to fiddle with her sleeves.

"I really am serious.", he assured her and saw her cheeks flush even more. Just then she reached out and grabbed his hand quietly, her eyes averted though.

"Oh Marco~! Would you mind me playing with your cello a bit?" Suddenly a pink haired mob of hair shoved itself between her and Marco and Aya had to let his hand go.

"Hina, uh... yeah I suppose..." Marco stared at the sweet smiling girl in front of him, her evenly pink nails digging into his shoulder, leading him away from Ayane.

"You know, at first I wanted to play cello as well, but my parents had already bought a violin and so... but I never stopped admiring this instrument! The sound, it's just perfect! Sad that it's that expensive." Hina pulled the poor guy with her, her sugar-coated voice dripped with sweetness.

He quickly looked back as he got dragged off and found Ayane looking after them, caught off guard, but then she disappointed stared onto her feet, her hands holding onto her scarf. What was that?

She looked back up to Marco and bit her lip crestfallen as the concert mistress sat on his chair with the cello, he next to her, giving her instructions how she had to handle it. Hina's voluptuous red lips pouted while she created a terrible sounding note and as Marco bent down to correct the girl's fingers, Ayane looked away.

What, he told her he was serious and then he walked off with the next slut? Yes, right now Hina was a stupid slut. Just as she had thought he'd understand how she felt for him, that bitch had to interrupt and to steal him!

She did that often enough with every male she found acceptable. It was as though she tried to gather the guys around her to have a wide choice.

Finally Mr Whitebeard called the pupils back into the room and got to his note stand where he waited for them. Ayane took her violin, put the shoulder rest on it and grabbed her bow. Just as she stood up, Hina too went to her violin case, that laid unfortunately next to hers, obviously finished with molesting Marco.

"I hope you know that this was a warning. He's mine." She smirked with her perfectly done make-up-face and arrogantly looked at her from top to toes. "Way too good for you anyway." Aya glared at the pink-haired girl's back and mentally stabbed her with her bow. But she simply ignored the threats and shuffled back to her single seat.

Marco watched her and as he found her eyes on his, he gave her an apologetic look, but she instantly stared at her notes. Darn, he really hadn't wanted to leave her alone, but Hina hadn't let him go either. And now the chance had died.

"You look tired, are you okay, Marco?" Keimi let herself plop down next to him with her own cello and watched him sighing once more.

"Yeah, I'm tired of everything. Don't mind me.", he murmured and turned over the pages of the notes to the next piece. He readjusted his instrument against his legs and leaned back in his seat. He just wanted to have a real break now, alone with Aya in their hostel's room.

* * *

"Ew, what's _that_?" Shinya sniffed at the food that just had been brought to their table and she grimaced at the smell.

"Looks like something healthy, I fear." Ace warily poked with his fork into the crisp surface and raised one eyebrow.

"Vegetable perhaps?", Shin guessed and ignored the irritated sighs that came from Thatch and his stomach.

"It's green.", Ace supported her statement.

"Spinach-lasagne...", Ayane murmured, but nobody seemed to listen.

Finally Thatch just snatched the shovel out of Ace's hand and put a big portion into his plate without listening to the surprised gasps.

"What's those red thingies?" Shin stretched her neck to observe the content of his food as Thatch gave Marco the cooking utensil so he could help himself, too while the other idiots still argued if they now should take something or not.

"Those are tomatoes and now shut up and eat or let it be, Shin, Ace. Something healthy won't kill you.", Marco told them unnerved and the couple really got quiet.

Thatch hungrily shoveled the food into his mouth as Ayane too put something of the giant lasagna onto her own plate. As neither Ace nor Shinya showed any attempts of wanting to eat it, she put the shovel aside.

"How does it taste?", Shin asked, but as nobody answered, Aya looked up and found her friend's eyes on her.

"Uh... it's good...", she murmured and quickly let her eyes rest on the lasagna once more. Shinya talked with her, that was a good sign, right? Maybe they would simply forget that stupid conflict?

"Alright, I'll try it." Ace stared at his girlfriend who grabbed the shovel and lion-heatedly put a very small piece onto her plate.

"But Shinya...! You don't have to prove anything, I'll still love you!", he dramatically called out and grabbed her arm to prevent her from trying the food.

"I know, Ace, you're the sunshine of my life. But there are things I have to do." Shin took a deep breath as though she was about to fight in a war with Ace being the wife, who had to stay at home, probably pregnant and without any hope of her man coming back alive.

"Don't do it, please. What am I without you?!"

"Nothing, my angel." And with that Shinya shoved a fork with spinach, tomatoes and lasagna into her mouth. Ace gasped in fake shock as she bravely chewed on it while Thatch and Marco sighed and rolled their eyes at the emotionalism.

Aya however had to bite back a laugh and nearly choked on her own lasagna. Her cheeks were flushed red as she tried to suppress a laughter or even a smile.

"How are you feeling, darling?! Tell me!" Ace shook his girlfriend softly and laughed as she punched his shoulder.

"I'm eating, you dork!", she complained and even took another bite.

"It's yummy.", she told him finally and offered him a bite.

She fed him as he opened his mouth and munched happily. Ayane watched them for a while and then looked to Marco. She couldn't quite imagine doing that with him. He was more mature than Ace and Shinya anyways. He however seemed to have noticed her gaze and grinned at her with his lazy bedroom-eyes. Just like always.

* * *

"So... how's it going in the orchestra?" Shinya strolled next to her friend and tried to speak as casual as possible, as though she'd talk about the weather.

"It's fine I suppose. And with Mr Shanks?" Aya's voice was very quiet and soft as though she didn't want to say anything offending that would rip them apart once more. If she just hadn't started that stupid argument... They continued to converse in a very polite way and Ace grinned as he watched them while he walked next to Marco.

"Finally they're making up, huh? How was your night at Aya's anyway?" Marco shrugged and nearly toppled over as his friend flung himself onto his back.

"Hey! What'cha doing?!", he called out much to the black-head's amusement and just in time balanced their weight.

"Aw, come on, you have to tell me more. And I'll tell you what Shin and I did." Marco turned his head so he could glance at Ace with one eye and sighed. "Trust me, I don't want to hear how you made out." He pouted childishly, but still let himself get carried by the taller guy.

"We didn't make out, well maybe a bit, but... hey, you smelling that, too?" Ace sniffled and Marco tensed up instantly. Shit, the apple-blossoms.

"No, I'm sure you're just being paranoid. There's nothing to smell.", he gritted his teeth as he spoke, silently praying that Ace wouldn't get it.

"But something here sure smells girly. Y'know like shampoo or somethin'." He snuffled again in the air and then to Marco's complete horror at his hoodie. "Oh, that sweet smelling stuff... it's you! Got the wrong perfume, huh?"

He groaned as the pest on his back, his friend, began to laugh. "Like smelling like a marmalade, huh?" Ace finally let go of his friend's shoulders and plopped down with his feet onto the floor, still mischievous grinning and Marco decided it didn't matter anyway now.

"Actually it's apple-blossoms.", he grumbled and Ace continued laughing his ass off.

"Just what the hell did you do?!"

"I forgot my shower gel. No more questions now.", Marco cut him off and sighed happily as they had reached the room he still shared with Ayane.

"Alright my little apple tree, we'll see each other later I suppose? Or do you wanna do anything? There's a supermarket close to the hostel." Ace cooled down from his laughing fit quite fast to Marco's relief, cause just five meters behind them were the girls and they had noticed the black-head's laughter.

"Maybe tomorrow or so, let's see.", he answered and Ace nodded and patted his shoulder as a good-bye.

"See you.", Ayane mumbled to Shinya as they too had reached the room and slid into the room past Marco.

"Yeah, see ya!" Shin ran after her boyfriend and the blonde guy closed the door behind him. Aya was already back on her bed, she combed through her blonde strands and watched him as he cheekily made his way to her and plopped down on her mattress.

"Did you like the dessert?", she casually asked and he grinned lazily. "Yup, just have to love the chocolate stuff.", he replied. Then there was silence between them. Finally she looked up from her hair and watched him shyly as he pushed his shoes off and made himself comfortable on her bed.

"Did... did you really mean that?" He turned his head to her and raised his brows.

"What are you talking about?", he asked and she blushed.

"Uh... those things with wanting us to be... together?", she murmured. All of her previous courage was gone as she actually asked the questions she had collected in her head before. "What do you think?", he said and watched her reaction carefully. She buried her nose into her scarf to attempt to hide her red cheeks.

"I don't know... that's why I asked at all..." Honestly she was afraid of his next answer, if he would answer at all. It probably change something. Maybe she should have never started the subject again...

"Come on, Ayane. Get your brain working, yoi." Marco smugly smirked and tilted her chin up.

"I suppose I'll have to show you...?", he murmured and just plainly set his lips against hers in a small kiss. Her reaction was a lot stronger than he would have thought.

First her cheeks grew so hot that he thought they would be able to glow in the darkness, then one of her hands reached out for his hoodie and held him there. He couldn't help to let out a content growl as she kissed back, but then she pulled back, a bit too quick for his taste. She stared at him, unsure of what to do now, but he simply grabbed her and pulled her against his chest.

"Got it now?", he asked and she knotted her fingers into his clothes.

"Lucky girl, got yourself such a handsome boyfriend.", he chuckled as she bit her lip quietly and she looked up to him.

"Really?"

"Still didn't get it?", he grinned back at her happy, but still insecure face.

"And now?", she asked and he frowned. "Now what?" Aya blinked.

"That's what I ask you." He gave her a small peck onto her brow and she leaned against him.

"No idea."

* * *

_author's note: Now they're together, but got no idea what that means. Poor guys. Thanks for the support and I hope you enjoyed the chapter :3_

_To The-Destroyer-of-vegetables: Reviews are always appreciated~ ^.^_


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8 **

**Everything's Allowed In Love and War**

* * *

"Marco, let me go, please."

Ayane poked his arm, but his grin just widened and his arms even tightened around her. "Marco... please?" She looked at him desperately, but he shook his head. "Why don't you wanna stay with me?", he asked as she wriggled in his grasp.

"Cause... I really need to go to the bathroom...", she murmured and looked at him with hopeful eyes and flushed cheeks. He sighed as his resistance molt with the look on her face.

"Alright. Don't forget to wash your hands, okay?" He finally released his new girlfriend and gave her a small push on her back.

"Thank you!", she called as she rushed into the restroom and hurriedly shut the door. Marco leaned back on Ayane's bed where they had been sitting for more than half an hour now, Ayane cuddled up in his arms.

He knew that Aya was probably too shy to get his affections in public without blushing to death. But still he'd try. She was worth it.

He started dozing off with his face half-way buried in her pillow, as he felt somebody crawl on the bed to him, he grabbed the person and pulled the someone to his chest. But what he heard was not a squeak like he'd expect from Ayane.

"Hell Marco! Let me go! I'm not your teddy bear!" Marco's eyes snapped open at the yell and stared at a head of jet-black hair pressed against his torso, held by his very own arms, Ace's cheek on his chest.

"What the -?! What are you doing here?!" He instantly let go of his friend who at first backed up as far as he could without falling off the bed.

"Most certainly I did not come to cuddle!", he replied sourly and threw a random pillow at Marco. He dodged and threw it back, but it missed Ace and instead hit Aya who had just walked in the trajectory. It fell to her feet as it bounced off her face and she stared in slight shock at it.

"It's Marco's fault!" Ace instantly pointed at his friend as she looked at them.

"Traitor...", Marco murmured and kicked him, not too hard though, into the others stomach and tried to shove him off Aya's bed. He made place as she moved to sit next to him and pulled her to him, with her back against his chest. Ace's mouth formed a perfect 'o' as she blushed and Marco's arms wrapped around her stomach.

"Y-you really...?", he stopped unbelieving, but as Aya buried her face into her scarf to hide, he knew he had hit the target.

"Aw, finally got some, eh, Marco?", he grinned and dodged as his friend tried to kick him again.

"Just tell me what you're doing here.", he grumbled back and nearly scowled as Ace pouted and made big childish eyes at Marco.

"No need to be so mean. And besides, I just wanted to invite you to a..." Ace made an enthralling break, but Aya just watched him as though he was a weird animal.

"A what?" Marco sounded a bit unnerved, after all he just wanted to cuddle a bit with her, but under his friend's watching eyes she just tensed whenever he pulled her closer. Ace rolled his eyes and slumped down on the edge of Aya's bed that he occupied.

"A snowballfight. Orchestra against Choir. Later, between coffee and dinner, Mr Whitebeard and Mr Shanks just walked around, telling everyone. And best thing, they'll fight with us!" Ace grinned widely and Marco sat up with his girl sitting in front of him.

"But you _know _that we'll be opponents then?" "What? But you – Oh, damn! Forgot! And Aya, too..." He let his head hang crestfallen and sighed.

"Man, that's stupid... But at least Thatch's with me. You wouldn't even win against a little girl." Ace's grin was immediately back on his face as he thought of this delicious way to still make a fun game out of it.

"What did you say?", Marco's smile widened to a grin as well while Ayane just watched the two friends. "I said you woul-"

"I heard you the first time. I could win against anyone, but what do I get when I win?" he challenged and shoved his hands in his pockets.

"You wanted to say _if_ you'll win.", the black-head shot back and grinned deviously. "I win and you'll call me 'Snowball King Ace' for the rest of the week and you'll do everything I want you to."

"And if I win... you'll call me 'Master Marco' and you'll do the same, alright?" Marco smirked, he liked this bet already. He knew how to fight in a snowball war. "You're so childish...", Aya murmured and grabbed a pillow to hug it against her chest.

"You're just jealous 'cause I'm gonna get such a cool nickname, aren't you?" Marco looked down at her as she tensed up at Ace's words, but a few moments later she relaxed once more.

"Honestly, would you really like getting called 'Mister Snowball King'?", she replied and Ace actually seemed to be thinking. "Yup, and besides it's 'Snowball King Ace'! After all I'm the pirate king, you know?" She sighed and shook her head with a that's-stupid-expression.

* * *

Aya crouched next to Marco on the hard, snow-covered ground, her gloved hands busy with forming a snowball. He had already a whole collection of those laying next to him while others were occupied with building a snow-wall for a bit of protection.

It would be a pretty big war to come and the orchestra people were short-handed compared to the choir, but Mr Whitebeard hadn't agreed to the red-head's proposal of sending him a few choir pupils over to make the numbers even.

But to their luck a few girls (mostly the ones with their make-up covered faces and high-heels) rather chose to stay on their rooms, probably to file their perfect nails.

To Aya's big relief Hina was one of them and quite a bunch of choir girls. Just few women like herself, Nami, Robin, Keimi and of course Shinya had the will of iron to stay in the icy cold. But her friend currently sat about twenty meters in the distance behind the choir's own snow-wall.

Zoro sat next to Marco and her, working on his own 'bombs', but as he hesitantly peeked over the barrier, he instantly got hit by at least two snowballs in the face that sent him back onto his butt. Yup, the choir was not about to go easy on them.

Luckily the wall was already pretty tall to hide most of the pupils. Zoro wiped the snow out of his short hair with a few curses and Aya decided it was safer to throw without looking at all. She wished the ball good luck and threw it as well as she could straight forwards.

She waited a few moments and already was about to sigh as a scream ripped through the silence.

"_Ahhh, Robin-chan! Who did this to you!?_"

Marco gave her thumps up and then grabbed as many snowballs as he could and stood up to get it moving. Aya looked up to him as he dodged the snow aimed for him and sent one of his own on its way. Seconds later he crouched once more next to her, successfully avoiding several white chunks thrown at him.

"I got Mr Shanks.", he murmured to her and tried to catch his breath. Ayane blushed as she saw his eager eyes, about to get another snowball into the others base.

He just looked... cute, excited and all like a little boy, his seriousness all dissolved into thin air. And a second later he was gone once more, his place taken by Law. In between ducking he noticed her and smiled creepily.

"Need any help?", he asked and pulled bandages, plasters and some sort of ointment out of the pockets of his fuzzy coat.

"Uh... no?", she replied and he stuffed it back into his jacket.

"Just tell me, I'm somewhere around.", he nodded to her, pulled his hat over his eyes and disappeared back to the front as well. "Shachi, Penguin, work on the wall!", she heard his voice from somewhere in the heavy snowfall that had just began and two other guys dropped down on their knees next to her, but Aya, two snowballs in her hands, now herself jumped into the war.

She got hit on her shoulder, but she shrugged the snow off and spotted a certain black hat with the choir guys. Ace. She squinted her eyes and aimed for the 'snowball king', then she tossed the snow at him.

She stood unmoving in the scenery, waiting for her ball to hit its target, and Ace didn't seem to have noticed it yet. Well, until it flew right in front of his feet and his eyes shot to the culprit.

Ayane cried out in panic as his response came in form of a lot of snow flying in her direction and she flung herself to the side and in the protection of the snow wall. Bits of the load hit Zoro who had stood behind her and he cursed again.

Mr Whitebeard meanwhile had his own fun, he just happily placed his tall body, that hovered over each and every pupil, just a few meters in front of the "enemy's base" aka the choir's wall and took every snowball they threw at him with a booming laugh while he himself casually formed some himself, but just dueled with Mr Shanks or the other 'brat', Mr Beckman.

Actually Whitebeard protected them from most of the snow with his figure and the fact that it gave most pupils satisfaction, once because he was a teacher, and also because actually nobody missed him.

Ayane sat up and rubbed her spine from her dive onto the ground, a few bruises were building for sure. And then Marco was again next to her, his hair and jacket covered with snow and a scowl on his face.

"Oh, he'll pay for that...", he murmured and formed another snowball. Then he finally noticed her.

"Hey Aya, you okay?", he asked and skidded closer to her until he could grab her and pulled her against his chest. She nodded and blinked as she felt his lips on her cheek before he stood up once more and tossed it to the enemy.

Aya followed up, but as she turned to him to tell him to wait for her, an extra hard chunk of snow hit the side of her face and she tumbled forwards against Marco.

"Ayane!" He caught her and got her down onto her knees behind the barrier, but she still clutched her cheek, her eye was closed because of the impact. She winced as he wiped the snow off with his gloves and cursed as the skin burned red. Her head throbbed, but her hand got pried off it and she found Law sitting next to her boyfriend.

"Let me see it.", he stated and touched her cheek without waiting for an answer, but Marco grabbed the dark-haired guy and pulled him back.

"What the hell you think you're doing?", he growled and the other male sighed.

"Fine, help her yourself, Phoenix. It's not like I know anything about medicine, right?" Law smirked as the irritated blonde let him go with a sigh of frustration. Everybody knew his knowledge of medical things and besides Aya had begun to sob slightly.

"Your eye's hurting?", he asked and she shook her head. "Then open it.", he demanded, but as she did so, it watered immediately.

"Okay, it's not that bad, get inside and I'll look at it later once more." And then he was gone and Marco glared at the guy's back while he pulled her back to his chest.

"Come on, I'll get you in." She protested with things like not wanting to ruin his fun, that she would find the way herself. But his fun was already destroyed, yet he still wanted to get the one back that had thrown that stupid thing.

It was no easy thing for him to get back his usual ease and laid-back attitude, but in the end as they had reached the door leading inside, his mood was a lot better, not because of all the snowballs hitting him, but rather by Ayane clinging to his arm while affirming that she wouldn't need any help.

He aided her up the stairs and back into their room in the end and she really appreciated his company. The first thing she did was to get rid of the snow and water drenched clothes, throwing them all to the heater, Marco doing the same.

Finally she sat there in nothing but her shirt and leggings, bare-foot. It was freezing cold and her whole body still shook from the weather outside. She even chattered with her teeth to get at least a bit of warmth, but it didn't help at all. Marco just watched her shivering and shook his head lightly at her stupidity.

He sat down next to her on the bed and moved behind her. He took her wool blanket and wrapped it a few times around them, so it soon would get cuddly warm as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Marco...", she mumbled and turned her head to him, a small blush still decorated her cheeks. But the side where the snow had hit her had become worse. A faintly blue and purple colour showed the bruised skin, but her eye seemed to be okay.

"I'm sorry...", she told him and he frowned.

"Why?", he asked and she sighed.

"Now you won't win against Ace..." Marco watched her sad expression a moment before he erupted in laughter.

"Ha, that's just too good. Here I worry about your face and all you think about is a stupid title Ace made up!" She flushed again and pushed him slightly to make him stop the ridiculous laughing, but he easily defended himself and began to tickle her instead until she squirmed.

"No, stop, please!", she whined and panted as he actually ended the torture.

She was tired, he saw that as she laid her head against his arm and dozed off before her stomach grumbled loudly and let her eyes snap open again.

"When's dinner time?", she asked and didn't even resist as he shove her head to rest on his chest instead.

"Twenty minutes. Come on, don't fall asleep now, Aya. Get clothes on and then... how about some tea?", he suggested and she sighed. He was warming her up under the blanket, but she knew he was right and she had to get moving. But before she got up, she stretched and gave him a small kiss.

"Thank you."

* * *

_author's note: Oh dear, I promised you some music, right? Hope you don't mind that you have to wait 'till chapter 9... Snowball fights are always fun right? Until somebody loses an eye. Or gets a really hard chunk of ice and snow in the face._

_ Like Zoro, but _

_1. He's got no boyfriend to calm him down and cuddle with him_

_2. He feels no pain, he turnes that immediately into anger what makes him stronger (the bad words support him mentally)_

_3. He's no girl (no really?)_

_Besides, deep inside he loves those fights. Giving Luffy and Sanji a good rub of snow_

_Well, have fun and if you got the time, review~ Thanks for reading :*_


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

**Of Ties and Bitches**

* * *

Marco growled as he turned his head to the black-haired idiot walking next to him with a fat band-aid on hid forehead. And Ace grumbled something incoherent words back. Until Shin hit the two over their heads.

"What does one say?!", she shouted at them and they sighed in unison.

"I'm sorry for the trouble, Snowball-King.", Marco began hesitantly and Ace let his shoulders hang down in utter defeat a few moments. "Yeah, me too, Master Marco." Then they both sighed once more.

Much had happened since the snowball fight on Tuesday. Ironically the bet had turned onto the two guys.

It had turned out as a fucking tie.

At first Ace had thrown the snowball that had bruised Ayane's face, originally meant for Marco, then the pineapple-head had dragged her off the battle field. Marco had not been that happy as he had found out later with Law and his crazed, asocial bunch of friends.

Ace had gotten a fine ball of ice into his face as well, lovingly tossed at him by Kidd, who thought it funny to turn on his own fellows. Yeah, pretty funny, having a bruised forehead.

That thing had knocked him out right there and Shin had pulled his inanimate form back into the house and to the only one who had so much of medicinal knowledge to properly take care of a concussion.

Back to Law and his weirdos of friends. Probably no one had ever seen their faces. And there the two beaten up musicians met up. Both with a bruised face and both with somebody mothering them.

Shinya had continuously scolded and at the same time smothered Ace with kisses to 'make it all better', while Marco took a rather passive role as he stood behind Law to look at everything he did and occasionally frown when his hands lingered a bit too long on the blonde girl.

He had never experienced such kind of jealousy before when the "doctor" made Aya laugh or just plainly ignored that he stood right behind him and talked cheerfully, yes _cheerfully_, with her.

A day hadn't even passed and already he felt the strong pull to simply push the weirdo of a dark-haired guy aside and prove that he was a much better person to talk with.

Later, as Marco finally had been able to pull the girl with him, her face properly taken care of with salve, Shin had also been eager to agree that another night that Marco spent with Ayane wouldn't do damage while she petted Ace's head as though he was a small kitten.

Not that he complained, it promised another blissful sleep with his girlfriend cuddled against him. And that was also the moment when Ace officially apologized for throwing that icy chunk of a snowball at Ayane.

So now the two guys, both with crossed arms, walked next to each other, occasionally grumbling something incomprehensible.

Marco was not _really _mad at his friend, but still, he should have known better than to toss ice at innocent girls. He ignored Aya's hand clasping on his arm, again and again telling him that she was not some innocent, little girl and that she had accepted the black-head's excuse long ago.

Well, he just wouldn't listen and Ace grumbled back to his friend, Marco's mumbles giving him guilty stings all over again and also the damn tie nibbled at his pride.

At least they hadn't held on the condition of serving the other as slaves for the rest of the week, but the humiliating nicknames stayed. And "Snowball-King Ace" didn't simply sound as good as he had thought when Marco said it.

Still grumbling, because he kind of suffered from a small headache, he let Shinya walk up next to him and caress his hair and the plaster on his forehead and as he had to part from Aya and Marco at the orchestra's room, he even managed to grin again.

At least him and Aya were not the only students who paid a visit to Law or tried to bandage themselves up a good as possible.

Eustass Kidd of course had not a single scratch on his pretty face and Ace instantly wished to wipe this arrogant smirk off his face. He scowled as he walked by, his muscles tensed as though he was ready to jump any moment. That snowball had not really helped to boost the sympathy.

Damn that bitch of a guy. His pride just got a tender stroke as he saw that Shinya showed him her middle finger and glared her death glare. Even though Kidd didn't really seem to be intimated, it somehow made him content to know she supported him.

They entered the rehearsal room and Ace pulled the honey-blonde to the side and kissed her just then passionately, his hands curling around her shoulders as she eagerly moved her lips back against his.

It was just something short, but it was a little reminder of how much they meant to each other and as Shin pulled back, he pulled her close to his chest until she was pretty much pressed flush against his pullover.

"Why so cuddly, teddy bear?", she asked and poked his chest playfully only to feel the muscles twitch under her fingers.

"Love ya.", he replied and playfully stuck his tongue out as they parted.

"I'm hungry...", he interrupted her as she attempted to reply and his stomach growled annoy about the absence of food. She hit his shoulder.

"You're such a stupid try-to-be-romantic! You just destroyed the whole moment I had with you and you don't even notice!" He laughed apologetically and rubbed his head. "Well, you choose me and now you're stuck with me, poor girl!"

* * *

Aya sighed as Marco's hand left hers and she made her way to her violin case, successfully avoiding instruments and pupils.

Her skin was still warm from the contact and even though it was sometimes really embarrassing to walk with entwined fingers, it still was too much of a pleasure to stop.

She knelt down to retrieve the beautiful string instrument, the dark wood that felt so smooth under her fingers.

The bow was no exception of the fine crafting. She had two of the bows, the one she rarely used was a for beginners, not as expensive as the other 'real' one 'cause many starters did stupid stuff with it. They did it because they could, and switching off the light with it was absolutely worth it, right?

And the youngsters also had the weird habit of dropping it constantly. But well, she had grown out of the status of a beginner long ago and her current bow was the one her mother had given her. To keep the memory. Her parents had died a few years ago. She wouldn't ever drop the precious thing, it was far to valuable.

A hand on her shoulder startled her and the nails pressing into her skin even through her shirt didn't make the image of a pissed Hina better. She stood right behind her, one hand occupied with her own oh-so-great instrument, the other made itself painfully known by adding a bit more pressure.

"So how're you doing?", she asked sweetly while she crouched down next to her as good as she could with high-heels. With her poisonous glare she could have also just said I hope you go to hell, bitch.

"Just what did I do to you?" Ayane finally asked as the sickly sugar smile wouldn't disappear and Hina's smile turned to a frown. Finally she stopped the acting.

"You're honestly asking? I mean just after you clung to the poor guy like some slut?" Aya grimaced and pushed the other violinist's hand off her slowly but surely hurting shoulder.

"I did not cling to him and besides, this conversation is absolutely unnecessary." Yeah, she would just tell Hina that they were a couple, together, an item or something like that.

"Oh, why's that?" Her eyes formed to slits and the overly long lashes made her somehow look high on something. But still it was to be a threat.

"Because...'cause he's... he's _mine_." Aya stood her ground and held the gaze as Hina gaped at her, then her face reddened in fury. Aya glared back without blinking and as she had enough, she stood up.

"You don't mean this." The pink haired girl stood as well and it was not a question, that was a statement.

"I do. And you'll leave him alone. Go try your charm on Eustass or something." Ayane's cheeks were flushed with anger and the intense feeling of adrenaline in her blood that made her defend Marco like she did. Never before she had even attempted to speak back to somebody. But now she simply couldn't ignore her.

"Eustass? You mean Kid? Are you jealous because you couldn't even get _him_? Poor girl, rejected by the mean guy." Hina laughed deliciously and Aya turned to give her a last hard look.

"No, I have Marco, I don't need to throw myself at some freak like him." And as the Blondie stormed of, annoyed enough for this day, Hina even took after her.

"Oh, you will regret this, I swear! And I even warned you! This is the last time you spread those stupid rumors of Marco even _looking_ at something like _you_! You will leave him alone this instant!"

But Aya just ignored her and finally as Mr Whitebeard strolled in, she huffed and high-heeled back to her seat, flinging her hair over her shoulder.

"Whoa, what was that?" Keimi had watched the two females and as Ayane sighed in relief of Hina leaving, she addressed her. Her cello was in her hand, ready to walk over next to Marco, but she watched her blonde classmate as she glared at the concert mistress.

"Nothing.", she sighed again and Keimi shook her head, her short green strands flying around.

"She looked as though she was about to scratch your eyes out." Aya gave a short, dry laugh and furrowed her brows.

"No, no, it's okay, I guess..." They nearly had to whisper so that Hina couldn't hear them.

"You know, maybe you should tell Marco what crap she's bubbling."

"She talks a lot over the day."

"But you're a couple, right?" Ayane's face instantly turned red and Keimi laughed.

"How do you know...?", she asked overly embarrassed and averted her eyes nervously.

"You don't usually see friends holding hands and kissing in the hallway when they think nobody's looking.", she grinned back as she began to fumble on her violin sides to avoid any eye contact.

"He's a good guy." She gave Marco a glance and waved cheekily as he raised an eyebrow at his girl and his cello-neighbor spieling obviously about him. And as Aya smiled shyly at him with a deep red face, he grinned contently.

Keimi just tried to speak with the blonde girl again, but Mr Whitebeard cleared his throat and tipped his baton against the note stand to gain lacking attention.

"Watch out, Hina's not nice in things like those.", she murmured and hurried to her seat, just to jump up once more as she noticed that her bow still rested in her case. She was pretty clumsy sometimes, but nevertheless nearly everyone called her a friend. Keimi was a good girl.

* * *

Aya sighed again. I seemed it was all she did this evening. At times like this she thought it pretty stupid not to have any neighbors to talk to while the orchestra sessions. She was frustrated.

Some chatty second violins had whispered, mumbled and giggled the whole freaking time. I annoyed her more than she had thought, maybe 'cause her nerves were already strained enough since that nice little talk with Hina and she had no one to talk to to get her aggravations off her mind.

Otherwise than being aggressive, deep down in her thought cursing each and every girl who dared to talk, she also had another reason to sigh.

Her shoulder was practically inanimate and her back muscles tense like hell, it hurt even when she just sat. She couldn't even turn her head properly without any pain.

So now she sat with the others in the dining room, but for once she was not hungry, not an ounze.

Even though there were noodles with the most interesting sauces she could ever dream of, she didn't even have the energy to walk just five meters to the buffet. And a headache was building up, too.

She had her head pillowed on her arms and dozed while her friends like usually didn't avoid any food to try.

"Earth to Aya, yoi. You still here?" Something poked her and she sighed and opened her eyes once more to meet Marco's. "What's up?" He frowned and she shook her head.

"Nothing..."

"Then why don't you try some?" He offered her his food, but again she shook her head. "Not hungry...", she sighed and sunk back onto her arms, wincing as her muscles protested.

And her mind still searched for a proper thought. What did Hina even want from her? Leaving Marco alone, just so she had a bigger choice of males? Bullshit. She'd do nothing but to stay at his side.

"Come on, Aya, you gotta try those noodle-thingy! They're so yummy!" Shin too tried to animate her to eat, but she declined and they could not even lure her with the dessert. She knew they were worried about her, but she didn't want to share her thought.

Maybe she needed aggression-management or something so it didn't built up like this. Added to her backache. She halfway walked and halfway dragged herself forwards only to collapse on her bed finally, completely exhausted.

She wouldn't leave her cushions for the next hours. Then a groan followed as she noticed she had to brush her teeth and stuff. And as she uncomfortably rolled around and sighed exasperatedly as her body ached, Marco finally sat down next to her.

"What's wrong, Aya? You're looking as though there's something in your undergarments." She flushed slightly and stopped the movement instantly.

"Everything hurts.", she whined in an other attempt to get comfortable and he blinked.

"What hurts? Did you injure yourself or something?"

"My back's aching pretty bad and with that I can't really think about sleeping now...", she murmured and twisted her arm to maybe massage her shoulder if she reached it. "Do you want me to help you?" Marco smiled as she yawned and her eyes got hopeful.

"Really?" He nodded and Aya sat up with a few difficulties. "Okay, just gotta change and..." Her voice got lost in her mumbling as she stumbled to the bathroom and locked the door. Marco knew her problem, but most times it was worse with the violinists and viola players, because of the shoulder rest. He himself had more problems with his bow hand. But the way Ayane looked like at dinner told him she really hurt and all.

Just a few moments later she came back and plopped down onto the matress, her body limp and slack. "Okay so, where does it hurt the most?" "Everywhere...", came a muffled reply from Aya, who had buried her face into her pillow.

"Mhm..." He planted himself closer to her and hesitantly shoved her night shirt up, so her spine was exposed to his eyes. He felt her tensing underneath him, not really used to the touch, but as soon as he started to press against her muscles, she groaned loudly and shivered. He rubbed over her back to find a few tensed knots underneath the skin where he'd work first.

"Just relax.", he told her as she began to squirm and wriggle as he touched the sensitive areas. "I'm trying to...uh!" Aya began to make a few weird sounds whenever her rubbed and massaged her skin, most of them painful, but they became more and more relieved.

Marco chose to rub her whole back once more from her lower spine up to her shoulders and decided that he too wanted some fun. He already had to lean over her to reach her neck and shoulders and so he simply sunk a few inches down with his head and while his hands rubbed her skin, his tongue licked over her spine.

She shuddered and shivered the instant to the feeling of his warm breath against her back and moaned shortly. He grinned as she buried her face into the cushion, trying to suppress the sounds threatening to exit her throat.

But well, he didn't make it simple. He went a bit up and licked before he nibbled gently at it and she arched her back up. She loved this, really. But why was something like this happening so soon?

Ayane barely held back another moan as he planted some simple kisses onto her shoulders. They were a fresh couple, she should stop him, it was going so swift, the relationship. Yes, she had waited for this chance for a long time and had yearned for him.

But still... Before she could really take what happened, he stopped and instead his hands stroked her back, trying to see if the massage had helped. Aya laid there, panting silently, her muscles completely mush, her eyes tired and sleepy. He had managed to get her to relax as well as to excite her, but now that he had stopped, exhaustion threaded to take her in her orange striped night suit that hung loosely from her back.

"M-Marco..." She wanted to say_ thank you_ or something like _don't stop yet_, but her eyes were heavy and all she heard before she sunk into the darkness was the rustling of sheets and a low chuckle that tried to make her blush.

* * *

_author's note: Hi again and sorry I didn't make it on Sunday, but well, it's the longest chapter so far *cough*_

_Thanks for all the nice reviews from Vegetable of Darkness, Portgas , Girl-luvs-manga, Shiningheart of ThunderClan and KamuiSakurai_

_Yup, the two of them are definitely cute :3_

_I guess Law is really just the creepy student who loves to carry around stuff. Watch out, he'll come and bandage you up. Oh yeah... and well... is Law really hitting on Aya? *wiggles eyebrows* Maybe he's got a little crush on her? ^.~_

_And to all of you, watch out, what you're doing with the snow! I don't wanna see any more bruised faces around. Go to Law and get taken care of. Drink lots of tea. Have fun reading. And in the end there's a small Haiku (I'll just try) _

_Creepy bandages,_

_those patterned hats everywhere,_

_it's Trafalgar Law_

_~ Shara_


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

**By the love I have for you**

* * *

"By the love I have for you, I swear it! Would that you could render this extermination unnecessary by accompanying me back to civilization!"

Thatch ran over to Ace who stood around with a dark red coat, black trousers and old, brown boots that matched his hat. He threw his arms around the guy, jumped up and wrapped his legs around Ace's waist, causing the black-head to stumble back a few steps.

"No, it cannot be.", Ace called out. He pushed Thatch off him onto the floor and stroked his rouged beard. "I... I shall live and die a Pirate King!", he suddenly stuttered and Thatch broke laughing.

"Fail." Marco smiled smugly as Ace grabbed his hat and tossed it at Thatch who still laid on the floor.

"Damn it! I nearly got it, right? Those sentences just freak me out! That's the cheesiest scene in the whole operetta, I swear!", he swore and kicked his pirate boots with the nice pendants that glittered and jingled, off into the next corner, just slightly missing Marco. His tantrum would subside soon. He inhaled a few times deeply and helped Thatch onto his feet.

"Okay, just once more. I'll get it this time. And Thatch, you don't have to... uh... press yourself so close, you know?" Ace had crossed his arms and sighed as he retrieved his shoes.

"Ey, it's not as if I'd like that! And besides it's your fault that we had to repeat the scene for the sixth time. I can do my text unlike someone else.", he retorted sourly and readjusted his t-shirt with the printed word 'pirate' on it.

"You know the text? 'I don't think much of our -" "'Profession', yeah, I know." Ace pulled his hat back on his head, deep over his eyes as Thatch went back to the begin of the dialogue. Marco had the text-book in his hands and read the third character, the pirate king's lieutenant along.

It was Thursday, that evening there'd be a small concert with a few parts of the operetta, meant for the staff of the hostel and some parents who thought it was necessary to see if their kids were well and healthy and behaved. And of course to see the progress with the music.

Mr Shanks had kindly asked Marco if he could take special rehearsals with the two guys, for once because Marco was reliable, calm, patient and silent, aka everything the two pirate idiots were not – according to the red-haired teacher.

He had agreed, it was always interesting to finally know what the guys were actually singing or talking about. There often were certain problems with hearing the text in the pieces when you were surrounded by violins, brass and woodwinds.

Aya too had sneaked out of orchestra, normally curiosity killed the cat, but it was too funny to be dangerous for her and if Mr Whitebeard found out... he would rather put a bowl with milk on the floor for her... just to stay in the cat picture.

Whitebeard was never angry with any pupil, no matter how irritable she or he was, he always laughed it off with his weird, booming laugh. Besides Hina had given her a clear sign to stay away from her.

As she had cuddled against Marco, the pink-haired drama queen had rushed by, her shoulder effectively hit Aya's and ripped her from the embrace.

Then she had apologized as loud and ironic as she could and teetered to Smoker, not without giving her a poisonous glare. Well, it wasn't much, but more than enough for Aya to take her heels and rather watch her friends goofing around.

She sat on a desk when Marco strolled over to her, reading along the dialogue in the fat text-book. Thatch was just explaining how much he loved his pirate brothers. He swooped himself up onto the table as well and made himself comfortable next to her so she could see the text, too.

"What's with the solemn look?", he murmured and Aya blinked. "Solemn?"

"Staring at your fingers, chewing on your lip and not laughing when Thatch jumps at Ace?" She laid her head down onto his shoulder and sighed. "I just thought... if there was somebody who... didn't like you and... you somehow know that he or she is going to do something... what would you do?"

The subject with the long pink hair and the high heels plagued her mind since morning. "Who is it?" Marco's eyes had hardened and fixed on hers, but she avoided his gaze.

"No,no! It was just an 'if' – question. Nothing real or stuff... do you think I'm paranoid?" Marco looked back into the book.

"I do." Ayane gaped at him and poked his side. "That's not something to say to your girlfriend, you know?", she huffed and crossed her arms and he chuckled.

"What, no. It was my cue for the text.", he murmured and wrapped one arm around her waist. "As long as you don't think that Gollum is chasing you everywhere you're going or something like this, I think you're normal. And I would ask the person what the problem was. And now stop lying and tell me who it is."

Marco had put the book aside since his voice wasn't required anymore and as Aya shyly wrapped her fingers around his, he pulled her to his chest. "It's nothing, really...", she mumbled and he shook his head. "At least tell me the problem?"

"Mhm... it's... about..."

"Yeah?"

"Us...", she murmured and blushed under his scrutinizing gaze.

One of Marco's eyebrows vanished under his blonde hair, but Aya didn't continue. "And that's all. No more stories, concentrate on your text, mister lieutenant." To her relief he didn't ask anymore, not that she would have given in, but his brow stayed up at least for two more minutes until Ace threw Thatch's t-shirt against his head to remind him of his job.

"Ey, no stripping in front of my girlfriend!", he called back and tossed the offending piece of fabric onto the ground. "Why, does that make you look like a wimp?", Ace shot back and rubbed his fake beard.

"Orphan or not, I'll have you walking the plank, mister!" Marco jumped up to personally strangle the pirate king while Aya sat left behind, flushing.

* * *

"Miss Ayane, where have you been, girl?" She shrunk down in her seat and her fork fell onto the plate. Mr Whitebeard walked straight towards her and he didn't look pleased. He was a friendly guy, but on the few occasions when he found a reason to get annoyed, nobody dared to do any kind of resistance.

He was an intimidating, tall man and the big white beard made him look even more dangerous. More than Aya had thought he could be. "I – I've been with Marco, sir.", she brought out and tried to ignore all the eyes on her and the orchestra leader.

She shivered under his gaze that somehow told her he could do much more than just to swing around a baton and clap a rhythm.

She gulped, but still Whitebeard just wouldn't say anything. Until he broke out laughing and Aya felt her shoulders slump down in a relieved position. The other pupils began to eat and talk again, the previous tautness dissolved and some of the students rolled their eyes at the 'old man's' attitude.

"And you kept an eye on her, eh, Marco?" Mr Whitebeard grinned and reached down to ruffle Marco's blonde hair and Aya grinned as she felt the hand that had sneaked over hers squeeze tightly as his hair resulted in a mess.

"Really, that's not necessary, Mr Whitebeard...", he replied weakly as the conductor straightened up. "Found yourself a nice girl, eh? I expect to see you two the next rehearsals, okay? After all today's the concert. "We were just helping Ace and Thatch out.", Marco threw in and his friends nodded, but Whitebeard waved it aside.

"It's alright, don't worry. No harm done. Except for poor Smoker maybe, but he's been handling it well, alone." Whitebeard stroked his beard and shrugged. "We'll be there." The conductor nodded and strolled off to talk to a few other student and instantly Marco's face changed to one of pure horror.

"Please fix my hair, just what did he do?" He let Aya smooth out his hair and she seemed to enjoy it quite well.

"It's in all directions.", she laughed as she tried to get it back into its former place. "I told him at least ten times to stop that. But at least I'm not the only one, look." Ayane looked up and saw Whitebeard still standing on the next table, his hand in Smoker's gray hair, the guy's expression a scowl.

"Ha, he deserves that. Poor Smokey, couldn't play his double bass alone. A round of sympathy for him." Marco grumbled and went back to occupy himself with his dessert. But it had dissolved into thin air. "Ace...", he growled dangerously and his friend lifted his hands.

"Whoa, it's not my fault, this time." Marco's face snapped over to Shin and she squeaked, trying to hide the second empty cup of a former dessert. "Traitor.", she mouthed to Ace, but he merely shrugged while Marco sighed.

"Man, I wanted to eat this. Don't you think you're already chubby enough without my cream?" Shin's eyes glowed red at the words and she swallowed down the sweet stuff. "I'm not chubby! I'm not even close to this possibility! You stupid deer!"

Ace instantly tried to stop her tantrum and Marco sighed again, he didn't even listen to the profanities Shin threw onto his head. A bony finger poked his side for the second time that day and as he looked to Aya, she shoved her own dessert in front of him.

"Here, I didn't want it anyway...", she murmured, but her eyes were fixed on the fruity liquid on top of the sweet thing. She did want it, but he was a guy and guys needed to eat more than her. Besides he was her guy. He took the cup after a few moments and dove in with his spoon, digging in the vanilla cream that made Aya want to drool all over the table.

"Here." To her surprise he balanced the stuff over in front of her face and as she hesitantly tried to grab the spoon, he pulled it back. "Open up.", he smirked and she averted her eyes embarrassed.

But she did it anyway, the dessert was too luring to say no. Marco fed her with the cream and used his tongue to lick her lips clean. It made Aya a nervous wreck to know that her friends were watching. And other people, too.

"Why don't you do that with me, too? Are you a wimp or what? Where's the Ace I took as my boyfriend?", Shin complained loudly to get the attention off the two and besides it was getting boring with Marco and Aya just kissing and stuff. Ace snickered and rubbed his fake beard again. It was something he did often this day.

"I don't know what you are talking about, my fair maid. But I'm sure I, the pirate King, will be as able to please you at least as well as this _Ace_ you're talking about." She grabbed his collar and pulled him close.

"Oh, what did you have in mind, my King?", she grinned seductively and ignored Thatch's sigh as the two also began to make out.

* * *

"Aww, poor Thatchy-bear..." He scowled at the stupid words that repeated in his mind over and over again.

He was no bear. And his name was Thatch.

He pushed his hands into his pockets as he strolled down the way back to his room and friends, Vista and Rakuyo. Mr Shanks had given them a short twenty minutes break. And since he had nothing else to do...

He casually watched the snowfall through the large windows, it had gotten more and more snow since Monday, when they had arrived- Thatch yelped as something crashed against his chest and landed on its buttocks with a cry.

"Oh hey, are you okay?" A girl had run into him as he had been to occupied with the snow and stuff. She was one of the orchestra, viola or something, maybe flute? Cello? Oboe? Thatch just noticed that he didn't even know her name. She obviously was about the same age as him, the same grade.

She had very dark hair, some kind of black with a blue shimmer to it, and the glasses fit perfectly into the picture. She picked herself up with a little help from Thatch, before she caught her balance and stood in front of him, readjusting the eye wear.

"Yes, thank you, I'm so clumsy, please forgive me. Thatch, right?" She hopefully looked up to him to see if she had caught the right name. "Yeah..." He raised an eyebrow as she held her hand out for him to grab.

"I'm Tashigi, nice to meet you and thank you again."

"Uh, you're welcome...?" He was perplexed by the girl, he never had really acknowledged. Or seen for that matter. Tashigi also wore rather unimpressive clothes.

"I gotta go now, Mr Whitebeard will be fuming if I'm too late again, bye!" She took off in a run and barely dodged other student before she slid around the corner. Thatch looked after her and crossed his arms. What a confusing girl. She certainly had some looks, but the bits of character he had experienced made her weird. But she was kinda interesting, kinda.

* * *

Aya swirled around in her black dress that she wore for the small concert. The whole orchestra would wear black, just like always. Most of the guys stuck with white shirts though. It didn't really matter, but Mr Whitebeard wanted them to come representable.

And Marco had reassured her that she was. She was in a good mood that day, resulting out of the happenings of the week and that they would get home on Friday didn't stop her from smiling and being happy.

She was on her way back to the orchestra room, where the teachers had put up a few chairs and made room for Thatch, Kidd and Ace and the other soloists. Most of her fellows sat already in front of their notes, occupied with playing some of the more difficult cues to kill time until the others came.

Aya had left Marco at the soda machine. He and Ace had put up a fight with it since it had dared to swallow all of their loose cash without giving them a refreshment back.

She slipped through the chairs and halfway on her way to her notes, Hina squeezed past her. Without making a remark or even looking at her. Nothing. Then Ayane noticed that the concert mistress' face was paler than usually, her lips set in a firm line. She almost looked worried if it wasn't for the lip stick.

She stood and watched as the pink-haired girl rushed to Smoker who sat next to his double bass, occupied with making cigarettes. She tugged at the guy's arm and talked to him until he put his stuff away and accompanied her outside.

Aya shrugged, Hina's problems were not her own, right?

She sat down on her chair and browsed in the notes until she had found the first piece. Then she noticed that something was missing. Her violin. She couldn't play without it, of course. So Aya rushed up again and strolled to the case.

She took the beautiful instrument, plucked on the sides to hear if the sound was still correct, then she went to retrieve her fine bow. The one that her mum had given to her as a present.

The one that now laid broken in the case.

* * *

_author's note(s): Good night to you! I'm sorry I didn't update in the last ... euh... three weeks? Really? I'm really devastated. I'm plaing too much MMORPG. Don't blame me, it's great. And I'm not addicted._

_I hope you liked the chapter. Yes, I know, this is NO action story. And I didn't write it as one. Besides I noticed that I kinda think I'm writing not like usual when I'm extremely tired or depressed. Also the music I'm listening to is important. Radio is fine. I't 00:09 AM and I'm still listening. I got school today lol_

_But hope you enjoyed it still. :3_

_- Your Cleric Shara_


End file.
